Muscular Thickness Research Articles

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: A fresh approach to the diagnosis

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is a condition occurring in early infancy. The traditional approach to the diagnosis has been clinical, relying on the palpation of a 'tumour' caused by the muscular thickening of the pylorus. In doubtful cases a barium meal is diagnostic. Ultrasound, with the lack of hazards associated with radiation, provides an additional method of investigation which is accurate and will diagnose some cases in which no pyloric tumour is palpable. This will spare infants from a barium meal but there are still cases in which a barium meal will be necessary because a tumour cannot be palpated or demonstrated by ultrasound.

Changes in Cecal Composition with Eimeria tenella Infection

In each of three trials, the wet and dry weights of Eimeria tenella infected ceca were significantly increased compared to the control. The percentage of moisture and lipid in the cecal tissue remained unchanged or slightly increased. These effects were observed for all parasite strains examined and were detectable as early as day 4 postinoculation. Analysis of cecal protein and DNA suggested a uniform increase in cecal tissue rather than the production of a specific protein or component in response to the infection. Histological measurements of infected ceca, compared with the control, showed a twofold increase in both mucosal thickness and muscular thickness.

The microscopic anatomy of the oesophagus, stomach and intestine of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

An anatomical study of the digestive tract of the channel catfish revealed that the oesophageal mucosa was longitudinally folded and that secondary folds were occasionally located on the primary longitudinal folds. The infoldings were more numerous near the stomach. The stratified squamous epithelium covering the folds was made up of a basal layer, large mucous cells and simple squamous cells on the surface. The epithelium on the side of the folds consisted primarily of mucous secreting cells. Taste buds were observed between mucous cells on the apical portion of the oesophageal folds and were more prevalent in the cranial part of the oesophagus. The remaining layers of the oesophagus were: a lamina propria‐submucosa, tunica muscularis and adventitia or serosa.The J‐shaped stomach had two regions: a large sac‐shaped region containing gastric glands and a smaller, nonglandular pyloric region. The large rugae of the stomach became gradually smaller near the pylorus. There was a well developed pyloric sphincter. The mucosa included a simple columnar epithelium, a lamina propria and adventitia or serosa.The intestine could be differentiated into a thick ascending segment, a descending segment, a thin convoluted segment and a thicker terminal segment, the rectum. Many mucosal folds containing branched villi characterized the ascending segment of the intestine. The descending and convoluted segments contained fewer folds with shorter and less‐branching villi and were smaller in diameter and thinner walled. Descending and convoluted segments were also mildly convoluted and accounted for 80% of the total length of the intestine. An intestinal valve with a sphincter marked the beginning of the rectum. There was an approximately four‐fold increase in the thickness of the tunica muscularis of the terminal segment of the intestine.

Muscular Equivalent of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter

In order to measure muscle thickness and to define the muscular architecture at the gastroesophageal function, both en bloc fixation and a new method of preparing dried fiber specimens were used. Specimens were obtained from 32 kidney donors and human cadavers. Wall thickness was measured at 32 identical locations in the esophagus and stomach. The oblique gastroesophageal ring (GER) was the site of greatest muscular thickness and served as a reference point. From the GER the muscle thickness tapered (P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.001) in both a cephalic (esophageal) and caudal (gastric) direction for a length of 31 mm +/- 2.5 SD. The increase in thickness was due to an increase in the muscle mass (fiber aggregation) of the inner muscle coat. The muscle bundles of this coat split up 10.2 mm +/- 3.0 SD above the GER (fixed specimen) and for a length of 25 mm +/- 8 SD formed short transverse muscle clasps on the lesser curve side. Those muscle bundles on the greater curve side formed long oblique gastric fiber loops. The angle of His was inconstant in location and distal to the uppermost gastric oblique fibers (18 mm +/- 7 SD) and to the GER (9 mm +/- 6 SD).

Role of Mechanical Stimulation in Maintaining Small Intestinal Mass in Thiry-Vella Loops in the Rat

Two 10-cm long Thiry-Vella (TV) loops were constructed in each of 20 rats. An elastic-plastic device, which served as a source of continuous intraluminal mechanical stimulation, was fixed in one of the loops. Two weeks later the jejunum, ileum and both TV-loops were biopsied. Wet and dry weight per 3 cm intestine, villus height and muscular thickness, were determined. Both TV loops were atrophic, but the wet and dry weight and muscular thickness were significantly greater in the mechanically stimulated ones. The villus height was not significantly effected by the mechanical stimulation. The experiments demonstrate that the effect of mechanical stimulation on the food-deprived small intestine is limited to a certain extent of muscular hypertrophy resulting in a lesser degree of atrophy expressed in terms of wet and dry weight of the intestine.

Gastrointestinal Alterations in Protein-Calorie Malnutrition

Fluoride (F) is largely employed in dentistry, in therapeutic doses, to control caries. However, excessive intake may lead to adverse effects in the body. Since F is absorbed mostly from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), gastrointestinal symptoms are the first signs following acute F exposure. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanistic events that lead to these symptoms. Therefore, the present study evaluated changes in the proteomic profile as well as morphological changes in the jejunum and ileum of rats upon acute exposure to F. Male rats received, by gastric gavage, a single dose of F containing 0 (control) or 25 mg/Kg for 30 days. Upon exposure to F, there was a decrease in the thickness of the tunic muscularis for both segments and a decrease in the thickness of the wall only for the ileum. In addition, a decrease in the density of HuC/D-IR neurons and nNOS-IR neurons was found for the jejunum, but for the ileum only nNOS-IR neurons were decreased upon F exposure. Moreover, SP-IR varicosities were increased in both segments, while VIP-IR varicosities were increased in the jejunum and decreased in the ileum. As for the proteomic analysis, the proteins with altered expression were mostly negatively regulated and associated mainly with protein synthesis and energy metabolism. Proteomics also revealed alterations in proteins involved in oxidative/antioxidant defense, apoptosis and as well as in cytoskeletal proteins. Our results, when analyzed together, suggest that the gastrointestinal symptoms found in cases of acute F exposure might be related to the morphological alterations in the gut (decrease in the thickness of the tunica muscularis) that, at the molecular level, can be explained by alterations in the gut vipergic innervation and in proteins that regulate the cytoskeleton.

The response of smooth muscle cells in the rabbit colon to anal stenosis: A preliminary report

The morphological responses of smooth muscle cells in the rabbit colon to different degrees of anal stenosis, and the cell changes subsequent to release of that obstruction were studied in both the growing and adult rabbit. The colon reacted first by dilatation then by thickening of the wall. Microscopically, disruption of the muscle layers, cellular hypertrophy, increased connective tissue and mitosis of smooth muscle cells were apparent. The sequence of cellular hypertrophy was found to be:—cytoplasmic enlargement, nuclear enlargement, mitosis and cellular hyperplasia. Quantitation showed that cellular hypertrophy up to three times the normal value occurred in proportion to the duration and degree of obstruction. In the adult animal, the muscular thickening was mainly due to hypertrophy with only a 20-30% increase in cell population. In the growing rabbit, hyperplasia and hypertrophy contributed equally to the total muscular thickening. Upon release of obstruction, cell and nuclear size slowly decreased, but the increased cell numbers seemed to remain. The morphological responses of smooth muscle cells in the rabbit colon to different degrees of anal stenosis, and the cell changes subsequent to release of that obstruction were studied in both the growing and adult rabbit. The colon reacted first by dilatation then by thickening of the wall. Microscopically, disruption of the muscle layers, cellular hypertrophy, increased connective tissue and mitosis of smooth muscle cells were apparent. The sequence of cellular hypertrophy was found to be:—cytoplasmic enlargement, nuclear enlargement, mitosis and cellular hyperplasia. Quantitation showed that cellular hypertrophy up to three times the normal value occurred in proportion to the duration and degree of obstruction. In the adult animal, the muscular thickening was mainly due to hypertrophy with only a 20-30% increase in cell population. In the growing rabbit, hyperplasia and hypertrophy contributed equally to the total muscular thickening. Upon release of obstruction, cell and nuclear size slowly decreased, but the increased cell numbers seemed to remain.

DIVERTICULAR DISEASE OF THE COLON.

Diverticulosis is a progressive disease. In diverticulitis of the colon the most striking alteration is not inflammatory change but muscular thickening. Formerly, surgical treatment was advised only if definite complications were present. It is now agreed that persistent symptoms or recurring attacks are indications for definitive surgical treatment. The ideal method is resection with primary end-to-end anastomosis during a quiescent period, but this approach may not be possible or even preferable.

Congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

Certain facets of congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) continue to be controversial. Is the disease really congenital? Wall-gren followed 1,000 newborn males with roentgenologicaly normal stomachs; after three weeks, 5 of these began to vomit and presented the typical roentgenologic signs of HPS. This observed incidence is practically identical to the expected. The clinical onset in the occasional patient within the first few days of life and the reported presence of the disease in the stillborn, however, do suggest prenatal factors. The question may be resolved by recognizing a congenital, inherited anlage for the disease, with the actuating factor (whatever this might be) starting to operate in most cases a variable time after birth, and in a few cases before birth. Is the disease really pyloric? A welter of names has been given the distal few centimeters of the stomach. If use of the name pylorus (gatekeeper) is confined to that ring of circular muscle that guards the entrance to the duodenum, HPS is not pyloric, but antral. The hypertrophy is confined to the circular muscle sheet of the distal portion of the stomach (the antrum) with its characteristic anatomy and physiology as demonstrated by dissection and radiology; the ring muscle (pylorus or pyloric ring) is spared. Pathogenesis: Little is certain beyond recognition of qualitative and quantitative abnormality in the ganglion cells within the muscularis propria of the antrum. Whether such abnormality causes disordered motor activity, or results therefrom, must remain sub judice. Again, no conclusion is possible as to whether the disordered motor activity of the antrum causes the muscular thickening by some vague process of work hypertrophy, or whether the muscular thickening comes first, necessarily causing the disturbance in motor function. A basic imbalance in the autonomic innervation to the stomach in these infants is quite possible: the incidence of ulcer is high both in adults who required pylor-otomy in infancy, and in their families. Fundal pressure curves show a constant abnormal pattern in HPS as compared with vomiting (non-HPS) controls. This abnormal curve is modified by operation, and eventually returns to normal. Occasionally, the curve is not changed at all by the surgical procedure, even though symptoms are much improved, suggesting a motor deficiency of the whole stomach rather than merely its distal end. Feeling the “olive”: Depending upon the examiner, tumors are found in well over 95 per cent of the patients down to “only a few exceptional cases.” It is likely that such a range cannot be due entirely to varying degrees of skill in palpation.

Colon Sphincters Simulating Organic Disease

This paper is presented to illustrate the difficulty sometimes arising in the differentiation of organic lesions of the colon from localized spasm in the region of the colon sphincters. A frequent finding, during a barium enema examination, is a transient area of narrowing commonly attributed to a spasm. These narrowed segments are generally at the site of documented colonic sphincters. Usually they distend completely without difficulty, but occasionally they persist, in which event their differentiation from organic colon disease is most important. There are three main types of colon sphincters. The sphincters of Rossi, Balli, and Payr-Strauss participate in nerve reflexes. The Payr-Strauss sphincter is a common site of origin for a peristaltic rush after stimulation by the defecation reflex (3). The area of Cannon-Boehm is a second type of sphincter, namely, the apparent overlapping of the superior and inferior mesenteric plexuses. The area of narrowing here is probably due to an imbalance of nerve impulses from the two plexuses (1). In these first two instances, there is no histologic evidence of a special muscular pattern or localized muscular thickening. A third type is represented by the sphincters of Hirsch, Moultier, and Busi. These have been shown to be due to localized thickening of longitudinal and circular muscle fibers (2). Thus, colon sphincters are both anatomic and physiologic in origin. Figure 1 is a sketch of the colon showing the location of the more commonly visualized colon sphincters. A simplified drawing of the source and distribution of the autonomic nervous system innervation to the colon is given in Figure 2. In the past few months, there have come to the author's attention 5 cases in which the exclusion of organic colon disease, especially carcinoma, was a perplexing problem. In each case, the initial barium enema study showed an area in which organic disease of the colon was suspected. It was only with repeated follow-up examinations or surgery that the true nature of the condition was identified. In all instances except Case V repeat barium enema examinations were done; Case V went to surgery for excision of carcinoma. Case Reports Case I (Fig. 3): A 55-year-old male gave a six-month history of intermittent episodes of tarry, blood-streaked stools and some recent constipation. The initial barium enema study showed an area of persistent annular constriction and an “apple-core” deformity with possible ulceration in the sigmoid colon. The findings were thought to be due to carcinoma. Repeat examination failed to show any abnormality. There were no diverticula. Note that the originally narrowed area lies in the region of Moultier's sphincter. Case II (Fig. 4): A 36-year-old male entered the hospital for a check-up. He had no bowel complaints. At the initial examination, despite all maneuvers, the barium column did not pass beyond the mid-transverse colon. The head of the barium column was somewhat tapered.

Partial obstruction of the inferior vena cava by herniation of the liver through the foramen of Morgagni; a case report.

Hedblom (18), in a review of the literature, reported that 75 per cent of patients with untreated congenital diaphragmatic hernia die before the age of one month. The case to be presented here demonstrates a complication, which we have not found previously described, that may influence morbidity and mortality. With the exception of herniation through the foramen of Morgagni, congenital diaphragmatic herniations are four to six times commoner on the left than on the right side (12, 33). Reasons for this pre-ponderance may lie in earlier closure of the right leaf of the diaphragm, greater muscular thickness on the right, and the protective barrier afforded by the liver. The following are the sites of herniation in order of decreasing frequency: (a) foramen of Bochdalek, (b) dome of the diaphragm, (c) esophageal hiatus, (d) foramen of Morgagni, (e) defect produced by partial absence of a hemidiaphragm, usually posteriorly (15). The foramen of Morgagni is a triangular defect normally occurring anteromedially ...

STUDIES ON THE FUNCTION OF THE INTESTINAL MUSCULATURE. II. THE VARIATIONS IN RATE AND CHARACTER OF THE NORMAL MOVEMENTS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE INTESTINE

1. The rates and amplitudes of rhythmical contractions observed in excised segments from different regions of the bowel, and those observed in the intact bowel (cat) are analysed and examined. The records obtained with excised segments show the longitudinal muscle contractions best, the balloon records of movements in the intact bowel the circular muscle contractions best.2. The rate of rhythmical contraction in the two muscle layers shows a definite gradation down the bowel. This corroborates the view of Alvarez and earlier observers.3. The cause of the gradient in rhythm is discussed. It is pointed out that the gradient in rhythm cannot be due to a basic metabolic gradient as Alvarez first suggested, nor separated from the gradient in irritability as he more recently suggested. It is concluded that the gradient in rhythm is the result of a gradation in the tonus of the muscle layers. It is accompanied by a gradation down the bowel in the size and number of nerve‐cells and fibres in Auerbach's plexus.4. The amplitude and force of the contractions seem to depend not only on the degree of tonus and muscular thickness in the different regions, but also on the pressure within the bowel. The longitudinal muscle in the upper bowel has a tendency to show a greater amplitude in excised segments, while the circular muscle shows, with a high pressure from within, a greater amplitude and force in the upper bowel, and with a low pressure a greater amplitude in the lower bowel (ileum).5. The normal direction of peristalsis from the oral to the caudal end of the small intestine is determined by the gradation in muscular strength, tone, and irritability.I wish to express my thanks to Messrs C. K. Prasada Rao and C. Vareed for technical assistance in carrying out the experiments.

Oral Breathing Valves of Teleosts, Their Modifications and Relation to the Shape of the Mouth

Previous articleNext article FreeOral Breathing Valves of Teleosts, Their Modifications and Relation to the Shape of the MouthEvelyn Groesbeeck MitchellEvelyn Groesbeeck Mitchell Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 38, Number 446Feb., 1904 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/278386 Views: 145Total views on this site Citations: 7Citations are reported from Crossref PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Sterling B. Tebbett, Christopher H. R. Goatley, Víctor Huertas, Michalis Mihalitsis, David R. Bellwood A functional evaluation of feeding in the surgeonfish Ctenochaetus striatus : the role of soft tissues, Royal Society Open Science 5, no.11 (Jan 2018): 171111.https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171111Gitartha Kaushik, Sabitry Bordoloi Ultrasurface structure of oromandibular area in a hill stream teleost Glyptothorax trilineatus Blyth, 1860, Acta Zoologica 98, no.44 (Dec 2016): 362–369.https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.12182E. Gisbert, C. Moreira, D. Castro-Ruiz, S. Öztürk, C. Fernández, S. Gilles, J. Nuñez, F. Duponchelle, S. Tello, J.F. Renno, C. García-Dávila, M.J. Darias Histological development of the digestive system of the Amazonian pimelodid catfish Pseudoplatystoma punctifer, Animal 8, no.1111 (Jan 2014): 1765–1776.https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731114001797B.G. Kapoor, H.E. Evans, E.A. Pevzner The Gustatory System in Fish, (Jan 1976): 53–108.https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2881(08)60280-1E. W. Gudger Oral breathing valves in fishes, Journal of Morphology 79, no.22 (Sep 1946): 263–285.https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.1050790203E. W. Gudger Maxillary breathing valves in the sharks Chlamydoselachus and Cetorhinus with notes on breathing valves in thirteen marine teleosts, Journal of Morphology 57, no.11 (Mar 1935): 91–104.https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.1050570105Burt G. Wilder Errors in Nomenclature, Science 19, no.490490 (May 1904): 798–798.https://doi.org/10.1126/science.19.490.798.a