Male-female differences in the relationship between obesity and lipids/lipoproteins

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of gender on the relationship between obesity measures and lipids/lipoproteins. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, matched observational study of adult men and women. SUBJECTS: 225 spousal pairs from Cincinnati, Ohio (age range, 28-66 years; mean +/- SD (yr), 44.0 +/- 6.7 (men), 42.1 +/- 5.9 (women). MEASUREMENTS: Body mass measures, lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, physical activity levels, cigarette use and dietary variables. RESULTS: Correlations between the lipids/lipoproteins and body mass index (BMI) were stronger in women than in men for cholesterol (r = 0.24 vs 0.10), LDL-c (r = 0.27 vs 0.12), triglycerides (TG) (r = 0.48 vs 0.23) and the ratio cholesterol/HDL-c (r = 0.47 vs 0.28). Utilizing statistical regression models which included potentially confounding environmental factors, BMI and WHR both contributed significant information to describe cholesterol, HDL-c, TG and cholesterol/HDL-c values in women, whereas WHR alone provided information for these lipids/lipoproteins in men. CONCLUSION: The association between BMI and lipids/lipoproteins appears to be stronger in women than in men. In women, in contrast to men, BMI and WHR, measures which are easily attainable in the clinical setting, provide separate, independent information in the explanation of these lipid/lipoprotein levels.     

Computed tomography in the postoperative patient

Nine cases of patients in whom intracranial infection was suspected after operation are presented. Lesions with ring enhancement were seen in all of these patients. The differentiation of enhancement, seen as a normal postoperative phenomenon, from residual neoplasia and cerebral abscess can be difficult. This can be resolved by serial and sequential-delayed CT, and thus unnecessary re-exploration may be prevented.     

Acute alcohol exposure markedly influences male fertility and fetal outcome in the male rat

Although it is recognized that drugs ingested by pregnant females produce marked cognitive and physiological deficits in their offspring, the possibility that paternal exposure to drugs prior to mating may have adverse effects on fertility and fetal outcome has not received much attention. The purpose of the present studies was to examine whether a single, acute exposure to alcohol influences the subsequent ability of adult male rats to mate and produce healthy and viable litters. Our results showed that a relatively large dose of alcohol 24 hours prior to breeding had little effect on the mating behavior of male rats, but there were markedly fewer pregnancies in females mated with alcohol-exposed male rats than in controls. Of equal importance, we found that, even when conception occurred and live births were produced, there were striking differences in fetal outcome. Alcohol-treated males sired many fewer pups than control males and there was a markedly enhanced mortality rate in their offspring. Collectively, these data suggest that acute paternal alcohol administration 24 hours prior to breeding does not affect mating behavior, but results in a greatly diminished fertility rate and fewer and less viable offspring. These studies suggest that paternal alcohol use may be as important as maternal alcohol abuse as a negative variable in pregnancy and fetal outcome.     

Chemoselective Hydrogenation of the Olefinic Bonds Using a Palladium/Magnesium‐Lanthanum Mixed Oxide Catalyst

A palladium/magnesium‐lanthanum mixed oxide catalyst is found to be an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the chemoselective hydrogenation of olefinic double bonds in the presence of various functional groups. The catalyst was recovered by centrifugation and reused for several cycles with consistent activity and selectivity.     

Modeling material property heterogeneity in fiber‐reinforced injection molded plastic parts

Fiber reinforced plastic parts manufactured by injection molding have heterogeneous stiffness and strength behavior due to the molding process influence on the fiber orientations. This paper presents a methodology for determining the process‐dependent anisotropic and inhomogeneous mechanical properties of injection‐molded parts using a thickness‐wise layered homogenization technique. This technique produces an equivalent laminated meso‐scale representation at any location in the part and enables point‐wise application of the existing laminated plate and shell theories. The methodology is demonstrated by illustrating property variations in edge‐gated and center‐gated plaques. Spatial variations of elastic moduli, shear modulus, and Poisson's ratio are modeled. The model can be conveniently embedded within finite element structural analyses accounting for the process‐dependent material heterogeneities within the structure. POLYM. COMPOS., 26:98–113, 2005. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers