Effects of diet and exercise in preventing NIDDM in people with impaired glucose tolerance. The Da Qing IGT and Diabetes Study

Present populations of Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are organized into two well defined groups A and B according to their mitochondrial DNA sequences. Group A is restricted to the South Western part of the Iberian Peninsula while group B is found everywhere else. Domestic breeds belong to the latter. As evidenced from data on ancient bones (up to 12,000 years BP) the mitochondrial type B1, predominant in domestic animals, originated from Spain. B1 animals were introduced in France by man between late Roman times and Middle Ages.     

Human calorimetry in sealed hermetic enclosures

The paper gives the results of an experimental assessment of personal biocalorimeter and calorimetric garment. The paper is addressed to biologists, physiologists and physicians investigating heat exchange and thermal regulation of the human body as well as to thephysicists developing calorimetric theories and methods. It presents theoretical concepts underlying direct calorimetry of a suited man and contains a block-diagram of the biocalorimeter that was used to examine energy parameters of the human body, including metabolic rate, heat production, heat release and heat balance. The data obtained were statistically treated and heat effects were characterized by empiric expressions. It was for the first time in medical practice that the personal calorimeter and calorimetric garment made it possible to accumulate information on the thermal state of the human body. This information helps to diagnose the health condition of man, to standardise environmental parameters in aviation, space and such like suits and to automatize their maintenance in experimental and real life situations.     

35 years of experience in reconstructive operations in surgery of vasorenal hypertension

Reconstructive surgery was performed in 1148 patients with renal hypertension in the period from 1961 to 1996. Extracorporeal microsurgical correction with subsequent kidney autotransplantation was used in case of the lesions of the renal arteries branches. In 161 (14%) of the patients the result was unsatisfactory. The reasons of unsatisfactory results were the following: uncorrected stenosis of the contralateral renal artery (43%), nephrosclerosis of the contralateral kidney (26%), unknown reasons (31%). The long-term results have been followed up in 769 (67%) of the patients in the period for 135 +/- 4 months after the surgery. In 546 (71%) of the patients positive results persisted. The average time of symptomatic recurrence was 74 +/- 6 months after the surgery. Restenosis was the reason of recurrence in 61 (57%) of the patients. Based on these results the following recommendations are postulated: in atherosclerosis--the transaortic endarterectomy from the opening of the renal artery; in fibromuscular displasia--renal artery resection with end-to-end anastomosis; in nonspecific aorcic arteritis--bypass operations.     

A method of preparing the results of biomedical research for statistical processing

The method of preparing experimental findings based on their rationing which proceeds their statistical processing has been supposed. It has been shown that the supposed approach allows to find out real changes in the average values which are not revealed without rationing the initial findings.