The hypothalamus is known to participate in the control of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and, therefore, the hypothalamic thyrotropin-releasing hormone, TRH, could possibly be involved in these control functions. Moreover, TRH immunological and biological activities have been demonstrated in the pancreatic islets, but experiments with isolated rat pancreas have failed to show any direct stimulatory effect of TRH on glucagon and insulin release. In order to study any in vivo effects of TRH on the pancreatic hormone release and the plasma levels of glucose and free fatty acids, TRH was injected intravenously into fasted rabbits, and blood samples obtained from the marginal ear vein. Dose-related increases in plasma levels were observed for glucagon, insulin, glucose and free fatty acids down to a dose of 0.4 microgram TRH. Corresponding experiments showed that the tripeptide pyroGlu-His-GlyOH was inactive. The increase of plasma levels of glucagon was augmented by simultaneous injection of TRH and insulin, and was suppressed in rabbits which were fed or infused with somatostatin. This suggests that TRH may have physiological significance in modulating the plasma levels of glucagon, insulin, glucose and free fatty acids. In contrast to the effect of alanine, the increase in plasma levels of glucagon by TRH was not significant during the first 10 minutes. This suggests that the effect to TRH on glucagon and insulin release is indirect.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Congenital absence of the entire inferior vena cava. The diagnostic significance of varicose veins of the abdominal wall.

Absence of the entire inferior vena cava was diagnosed by venography, computer tomography and ultrasonography in a 13-year-old boy, who had had dilated superficial abdominal veins since birth. An extensive collateral circulation was found from the left femoral vein, right common iliac vein and the kidneys, through deep abdominal veins, to the azygos vein and superior vena cava. Surgical treatment of this rare abnormality was neither necessary nor advisable.

Abdominal Muscles↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pulsatile cervical swelling (dilated carotid artery) associated with persistent primitive trigeminal artery. Case report.

A 39-year-old woman was admitted to the department of surgery due to a left-sided pulsatile cervical swelling. Angiography showed that the pulsatile swelling was due to enlargement of the internal carotid artery, and revealed a persistent left-sided primitive trigeminal artery. The clinical significance of this persistent carotid-basilar anastomosis is reviewed, and its possible pathogenetic relationship with the pulsatile cervical swelling is discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Left-sided inferior vena cava. A peroperatively demonstrated case.

A left-sided inferior vena cava was demonstrated during resection of an aortic aneurysm in a 78-year-old man. The embryonic development and clinical significance of this rare anomaly are discussed.

Aged↗