Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) reduces adipocyte hyperplasia associated with feeding rats a high-fat diet

OBJECTIVE: To determine if chronic administration of a low level of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) (10 micrograms/ml drinking water) attenuates adiposity in male Osborne-Mendel rats fed low-fat (11% of kcals) vs high fat (46% of kcals) diets. DESIGN: Rats were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups for 6 wk in this 2 x 2 factorial study. The main effects tested were diet (low vs high fat) and DHEAS (- or +). SUBJECTS: Male Osborne-Mendel rats (initial body wt approximately 265 g). MEASUREMENTS: Adipocyte mass, size and number from two major fat depots (retroperitoneal, epididymal); mass of one subcutaneous adipose depot (inguinal); serum levels of triglycerides, insulin, glucose and DHEAS; brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass; body weight gain, food and water consumption, and residual carcass composition. RESULTS: DHEAS treatment had no effect on weight gain, food consumption or water intake. DHEAS-treated rats fed the high-fat diet had smaller fat pads containing fewer adipocytes and less carcass lipid than the non DHEAS-treated rats fed the high-fat diet. In contrast, DHEAS-treated rats fed the low-fat diet had similar levels of adipose tissue mass and cellularity compared to control animals fed the low-fat diet. CONCLUSION: Administration of a low dose of DHEAS (10 micrograms/ml or 0.8 mg/kg body wt/d) in the drinking water of young male Osborne-Mendel rats fed a high-fat diet for 6 wk reduced carcass lipid, fat depot mass and retroperitoneal and epididymal adipocyte number compared to their high-fat-fed cohorts. In this study, the antiobesity effects of DHEAS were specific to the level of dietary fat used.     

Molecular epidemiology of an outbreak of Enterobacter cloacae in the neonatal intensive care unit of a provincial hospital in Gauteng, South Africa

An outbreak of Enterobacter cloacae in the neonatal intensive care unit of a provincial hospital in Gauteng, South Africa, resulting in nine deaths was investigated. Macrorestriction analysis using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that three isolates of E. cloacae from blood cultures of patients, six from environmental sources, and one from the hands of a staff member belonged to the same genotypic cluster.     

Blunt traumatic rupture of the diaphragm: sonographic diagnosis

Ultrasonographic features of seven patients with diaphragmatic rupture due to blunt trauma were analyzed. The ruptures occurred at the left hemidiaphragm in four patients and at the right in three. Direct ultrasonographic findings were as follows: disrupted diaphragm in four patients; nonvisualized diaphragm in three patients; floating diaphragm in two patients; and herniation of the liver or bowel loops through the diaphragmatic defect in three patients. Indirect sonographic findings included pleural effusion or subphrenic fluid collection in five patients and splenic laceration in one. Although the number of patients was limited, ultrasonography was very useful for the diagnosis of diaphragmatic rupture.