Changes in plasma concentrations of GH and insulin in response to feeding and stimulation with GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) or GH-releasing peptide (GHRP-6, a ligand for endogenous GH secretagogue receptors) were compared between 3-week-old (milk-fed) and 12-weekold (concentrate and hay-fed) calves. Feeding of a milkreplacer diet in 3-week-old animals significantly increased the basal (prefeeding) concentrations of GH, insulin and glucose in plasma, whereas feeding of concentrate and hay in 12-week-old animals did not cause a significant change in these traits. However, in the animals maintained on a milk-replacer diet until 12 weeks of age, postprandial plasma GH concentrations and AUC (area under the curve) were not different from those in the age-matched weaned group. The venous injection of either GHRH (0·25 µg/kg) or GHRP-6 (2·5 µg/kg) significantly increased plasma GH concentrations in both 3-and 12-week-old animals, but GH AUC was significantly greater in 3-week-old than in 12-week-old animals. Insulin concentration was transiently but significantly increased by the injection of GHRP-6 only in 12-week-old animals, the AUC being greater in 12-week-old than 3-week-old animals. From these results, we conclude that postprandial levels of plasma GH and insulin concentrations are altered after weaning and by aging, and that the quality of diets or development of the neuroendocrine functions in the digestive-pituitary system may be involved in this alteration.

No abstract

No abstract

Plasma GH and insulin concentrations following feeding as well as following stimulation with GH-releasing agonists were compared between milk-fed (3-wk old) and concentrate + hay-fed (12-wk old) calves. Feeding of a milk replacer diet, but not the concentrate + hay, signifi cantly increased plasma GH, insulin and glucose concentrations. When calves were maintained on a milk replacer diet until 12 wk of age, postprandial plasma GH concentration was not different from that in the age-matched weaned group. It is concluded that postprandial levels in plasma GH and insulin concentrations are altered after weaning.

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) at diagnosis is rare and leads to poor prognosis with the use of the standard ALCL99 protocol alone. CNS-directed intensive chemotherapy, such as an increased dose of intravenous MTX, increased dose of dexamethasone, intensified intrathecal therapy, and high-dose cytarabine, followed by cranial irradiation, has been shown to improve survival in this population. In this paper, the authors describe a 14-year-old male with an intracranial ALCL mass at onset who received CNS-directed chemotherapy followed by 23.4 Gy of whole-brain irradiation. After the first systemic relapse, the CNS-penetrating ALK inhibitor, alectinib, was applied; it has successfully maintained remission for 18 months without any adverse events. CNS-penetrating ALK inhibitor therapy might prevent CNS relapse in pediatric ALK-positive ALCL. Next-generation ALK inhibitors could be introduced as a promising treatment option, even for primary ALCL with CNS involvement, which could lead to the omission of cranial irradiation and avoid radiation-induced sequalae. Further evidence of CNS-penetrating ALK inhibitor combined therapy for primary ALK-positive ALCL is warranted to reduce radiation-induced sequalae in future treatments.