Alveolar hydatid disease of the liver: Brief review and spectrum of adjacent organ invasion

The purpose of this study is to show the spectrum of adjacent organ invasion and to make a brief review of hepatic alveolar hydatid disease (AHD), using CT and MR imaging. We retrospectively reviewed CT and MR images of three patients with various adjacent organ invasions surgically and histologically proven to be AHD. Local invasion to right kidney and adrenal, right hemidiaphragm and lung were detected in one patient, right adrenal in another patient and gall bladder, duodenum, gastric wall and pancreas invasion in the other. AHD may rarely extend to the gall bladder, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, right adrenal and kidney, diaphragm, pleura and lung. The extension of the disease outside the liver is usually encountered in patients with large, peripherally located masses in the advanced stage of the disease.     

Glucose-induced responses of insulin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide in various animal models

In order to clarify the role of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) in an enteroinsular axis, 19 healthy mongrel dogs were divided into following groups: 5 normal dogs (N), 4 dogs with gastrojejunostomy (GJ), 5 dogs with duodenal fistula (D) and 5 vagotomized dogs (V). Four weeks after the operation glucose was administered orally or intraduodenally in a conscious state. In group D, glucose administration was repeated under atropine injection (A). Glucose-induced response of plasma GIP was exaggerated in all the groups compared with group N. The regression equation reported by Lauritsen and Moody was obtained in each dog from the ratio of plasma insulin to blood glucose and from plasma GIP. The slope of the regression line was elevated in group GJ and reduced in group V. However, groups D and A did not reveal any difference in the slope of the regression line compared with group N. From the present study, it might be concluded that the B-values in Lauritsen and Moody's equation indicates the sensitivity of the B cell in the pancreatic islet and that GIP secretion plays an important role in the glucose-induced insulin response even in the conditions with various surgical modifications.     

Deprivation of form vision suppresses diurnal cycling of retinal levels of leu-enkephalin

Deprivation of form vision by the fitting of translucent occluders suppressed the diurnal cycling of enkephalinergic amacrine cells (the ENSLI amacrine cells), in the chicken. Daily periods of normal vision or enforcing temporal contrast using strobe lighting appeared to restore normal functioning of the ENSLI cells. These results suggest that the ENSLI cells are involved in retinal circuits that assess the quality of the visual image and control eye growth.     

A case-control study of breast cancer among Japanese women: with special reference to family history and reproductive and dietary factors

Summary To study the effects of family history and reproductive, anthropometric, and dietary factors on the risk of breast cancer among low risk populations, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study involving 908 patients with breast cancer and their matched controls, in Japan. A positive family history of breast cancer significantly increased the risk of breast cancer (odds ratio = 1.52, 95% confidence interval: 1.14–2.03). The risk further increased with increasing number of family members affected. Obesity, single marital status, fewer births, a late childbirth, and less consumption of green-yellow vegetables and dairy products were also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. These associations were independent in multivariate analyses. There was no increase in risk associated with consumption of high fat foods. When analyzed by menopausal status, the association with family history of breast cancer, especially in the first degree of relatives, was more evident for premenopausal breast cancer. The associations with obesity and lower consumption of dairy products were more pronounced for postmenopausal breast cancer, while those with lower parity and single marital status were stronger for premenopausal breast cancer.