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.     

Adversity and working class vulnerability to minor affective disorder

In this paper, we examine the proposition that members of lower social classes are more likely than those from higher classes to develop minor affective disorders in the face of adverse experiences. This was examined using data from a psychiatric survey of the general population of Camberwell, S.E. London, U.K. Working class subjects experienced significantly more adversity than their middle class counterparts. However, the relationship between life events and psychiatric disorder was consistent and considerable in the working class group. It was attenuated or non-existent in middle class subjects, depending on the particular categorisation of the data. Log-linear analyses suggested that the basis of this finding was unclear. Both the results and the underlying reasons for them merit further investigation.     

The long-term outcome of head injury: Implications for service planning

As most of those experiencing traumatic brain injury tend to be young, disabled survivors will be gradually accruing in each locality as each year passes. How many need continuing care a decade after injury? How many need day care, or need help with finding work, or continuing support for carers? 190 patients who had been admitted to two UK regional neurosurgical units on average some 7 years earlier were followed up. With an average age of 29 years these patients stayed in hospital for an average 33 days. At follow-up 23% were classified as having moderate disability or worse on the Glasgow Outcome Scale, including 7.4% who had died subsequent to discharge. Survivors were given a neuropsychological assessment and a socioeconomic interview. Of the survivors, 17% had failed to make a good recovery, but 36% were failing to occupy their time in a meaningful way. Age over 30 at time of injury, not occupied before injury, and above-average length of stay were some of the predictors for failing to occupy time. Quality of life was severely curtailed for those who could not occupy their time, as was the case for their carers. Appropriate counselling, vocational evaluation and family support in the early years following injury may help to improve quality of life for both the head-injured person and their carers.     

A perspective on measurement of mutations in vivo.

The development of transgenic mouse lines with target genes that are suitable for tissue-specific mutagenesis studies is an important contribution to the field of environmental mutagenesis. These models can accommodate many of the questions relating to metabolism, distribution and relative potency of mutagens as well as providing a more comprehensive system for the identification of mutagens. However, the lesions that the field has learned about methods, development and validation from the use of in vitro systems must be applied to the development and validation of transgenic models.     

Immunopathology of glomerulonephritis associated with chronic woodchuck hepatitis virus infection in woodchucks (Marmota monax).

Retrospective analysis of necropsy findings of 705 woodchucks was performed to determine the prevalence and morphology of immune-mediated glomerulonephritis, its relationship to woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) infection, and the presence of major WHV antigens. Twenty-six woodchucks had glomerular lesions. Renal tissue of the 26 animals was evaluated histologically and immunohistochemically for immune-mediated glomerulonephritis. Of these 26 animals, immune-mediated glomerulonephritis was diagnosed in six, all of which were chronic WHV carriers. Membranous glomerulonephritis was identified in three animals, two of which also had mesangial proliferation. Host immunoglobulin was present within the mesangium and along capillary loops in all three. Woodchuck hepatitis virus core antigen (WHcAg) was present along capillary loops of two of these animals, one membranous and one mixed, and in the mesangium of all three. Woodchuck hepatitis virus surface antigen (WHsAg) deposition was similar to WHcAg deposition but was only present along capillaries in those animals with mixed nephritis. The remaining three animals had mesangial proliferation. WHsAg and host immunoglobulin deposition were predominately mesangial; WHcAg was not detected. Transmission electron microscopy showed thickening of the capillary loop basement membranes and subepithelial electron-dense deposits in animal one, and deposits in the mesangium in animal six.     

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.     

The oral health and treatment needs of community‐dwelling older people in a rural town in Western Australia

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess, in a sample of older rural community‐dwelling Australians, their: oral health status, dental treatment needs, perceived barriers to access dental services and the prevalence and severity of dental anxiety. Methods: A cross‐sectional study of elderly rural Australians. Results: Eighty participants (mean age of 71.7 years) had a mean number of 0.69 (SD 1.6) decayed teeth, 15.72 (SD 13.3) missing teeth and 3.9 (SD 5.4) filled teeth. Forty‐one per cent were edentulous. Xerostomia was reported by 53% of the edentulous and 43% of the dentate. The average Corah Dental Anxiety Scale score was 8.72 (SD 3.8). Prevalence of dental anxiety was 15.6%. Two‐thirds needed dental treatment. Conclusions: Caries experience was lower than that reported in other studies. Reported barriers to use of dental services were long waiting times, lack of perceived dental need and costs.