Effect of essential and nonessential fatty acids in complex mixture on fatty acid composition of liver lipids

Linoleate, linolenate, arachidonate, docosahexenoate and six other fatty acids were major components of 24 ester preparations fed as 5% of the diet for 60 days to groups of male white rats. The experiment was designed so as to provide that all major fatty acid components were independent of each other in the sense that the intake of each was poorly correlated with the intake of any of the others. Fatty acid compositions of liver lipids were determined and were related to the composition of the diet lipids. Linolenate and docosahexaenoate contents of diet and tissue revealed the same relationships reported previously from experiments in which individual pure acid esters were added to a fat-free diet. Linoleate, when fed in lipid mixtures, was more effective in raising the linoleate concentration in liver lipids than when fed alone, but this increase did not change the shape of the dose-response curve or the estimated nutritional requirement. Large amounts of fish oil in the diet tended to depress the arachidonate concentration in tissue lipids.     

Resistance machine for power skating of hockey players

A 3-month-old male infant had two episodes of fever, projectile vomiting, dehydration, generalized fine tremors and gross metabloic ketoacidosis. Methylmalonic acid was found in high concentration in both serum and urine, although the concentration of serum vitamin B12 was normal. A therapeutic trial of vitamin B12, administered parenterally, reduced greatly the methylmalonic aciduria. The patient has since been given vitamin B12 supplements continuously, initially 1 mg intramuscularly every other day, then 15 mg/d orally, and the protein in his diet was subsequently restricted. The most effected control of the methylmalonic aciduria was achieved with the combined regimen of oral vitamin therapy and dietary protein restriction. His physical and intellectual development have progressed normally and he has survived several acute respiratory tract infections without recurrence of metabolic acidosis.     

A method for the specific labeling of the glycerol in glyceride-containing lipids of Streptococcus faecalis ATCC 9790

Cells of Streptococcus faecalis incorporate radioactive glycerol exclusively into the glycerol moieties of monoglucosyl diglyceride, diglucosyl diglyceride, phosphatidyl diglucosyl diglyceride, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, diglyceride, and a phospholipid tentatively identified as an amino acyl phosphatidylglycerol. Phosphatidylglycerol is one of the major radioactive lipids synthesized and contains an equal amount of radioactivity in each of its two glycerol moieties.     

Leptomeningeal mycosis fungoides

Central nervous system involvement with mycosis fungoides complicated the clinical course of a patient at a time when his skin was clinically free of disease following systemic chemotherapy. A leptomeningeal syndrome of blurred vision and papilledema, and confusion progressing to coma, was associated with elevated spinal fluid pressure and abnormal spinal fluid cells morphologically similar to those seen in the Sezary syndrome. The symptoms were dramatically reversed by intrathecal methotrexate, brain irradiation, and steroids. Mycosis fungoides recurred in the skin, in the spinal fluid, and in both eyes. Despite continued systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy, the patient died from mycosis fungoides. This is the second patient reported with meningeal mycosis fungoides.     

Effect of polytetrafluoroethylene covering of Palmaz stents on the development of intimal hyperplasia in human iliac arteries

PURPOSE: The occurrence of neointimal hyperplasia within a stent may result in restenosis with recurrent symptoms of end-organ ischemia. This study evaluated the potential of a nonporous covering of a stent to function as a barrier to the formation of intrastent neointimal hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve endovascular stent grafts were used to treat 12 high-risk patients with limb-threatening ischemia secondary to long-segment iliac artery occlusion. A 6-mm, thin-walled polytetrafluoroethylene graft was inserted and anchored to the common iliac artery with use of Palmaz stents. Each stent was covered by graft material over one-half of its length. Control angiograms obtained immediately after graft insertion were compared with follow-up angiograms obtained between 4 and 6 months after the initial procedure. On each angiogram, the region of the stent was magnified by 20x to permit computerized luminal diameter measurements. RESULTS: The mean luminal diameter within the stent was significantly greater on the covered (7.7 mm +/- 0.33 standard deviation) compared with the uncovered (6.7 mm +/- 0.85 standard deviation) portions (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Partially covered stents are a unique model for assessing the effects of an extrinsic stent covering on arterial healing and myointimal hyperplasia. These data suggest that a relatively nonporous covering of polytetrafluoroethylene may inhibit stent-related restenosis in iliac arteries.     

Practice trends of American urologists in the treatment of impotence, incontinence and infertility

PURPOSE: Trends of urologist practice patterns in evaluating and treating impotence, incontinence and infertility in the United States were assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In July 1995 the executive interviewing branch of the Gallup Organization selected randomly and interviewed by telephone 533 practicing urologists in the United States who had provided urological patient care for more than 20 hours per week, practiced in 1994 and completed a urological residency program. RESULTS: Treatment of male sexual dysfunction and female urinary incontinence comprises a significant portion of the professional activity of United States urologists. However, evaluation and management of male infertility occupy a small portion of the average urological work load. While more than half of United States urologist office clinical laboratories were inspected in 1994, only 2% failed evaluation due to major deficiencies. CONCLUSIONS: Male sexual dysfunction and female urinary incontinence are major areas of urological practice in the United States but male infertility is not. Few United States urologist clinical laboratories failed inspection because of major deficiencies.