Growth, digestibility, and enzyme activities in the pancreas and intestines of guinea-pigs fed on raw and heated soya-bean flour

The nutritional effects of giving raw (RSF) or heated (HSF) soya-bean flour to young guinea-pigs were investigated in trials 1 and 2, in which the levels of dietary protein were 120 and 190 g/kg diet respectively. The growth rate of animals fed on RSF was lower than that of those fed on HSF. Growth retardation of guinea-pigs fed on RSF was accompanied by a lower apparent digestibility of the protein (0.49-0.53) compared with HSF (0.67-0.76) and lower food conversion efficiency. In RSF-fed animals, increasing dietary protein affected growth and food conversion efficiency negatively. The pancreas of animals fed on RSF and HSF was similar in weight but secreted less trypsin, chymotrypsin and amylase, in RFS-fed animals. It was concluded that the mechanism by which raw soya-bean negatively affects the growth rate of guinea-pigs by reducing the activity of intestinal enzymes, differs from that suggested for rats and chicks, but is similar to that of pigs and calves.     

Lipide in isolierten menschlichen Leukocyten

Zusammenfassung Es wird über Lipidbestimmungen in normalen menschlichen Leukocyten mit Mikrolitermethoden und einem früher beschriebenen Leukocytenisolierungsverfahren berichtet. Dabei fanden sich als Mittelwerte pro 10⁹ Zellen: 15,56 mg Gesamtlipide, 0,42 mg Lipoidphosphor entsprechend 10,43 mg Phospholipoiden, 2,83 mg Gesamtcholesterin, 2,32 mg freies Cholesterin und 6,48 mg Esterfettsäure.

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Summary The lipids in normal human Leukocytes — isolated by a method described previously — were determined by microliter-methods. We found the following average values per 10⁹ cells: total lipids 15,56 mg, lipidphosphorus 0,42 mg, phospholipids 10,43 mg, total cholesterol 2,83 mg, unesterified cholesterol 2,32 mg and total esterified fatty acids 6,48 mg.

     

The "optional cross-over design" for randomized controlled trials

Summary— In order to facilitate the performance of randomized controlled trials (RCT) in situations where no "hard" endpoints can be identified and the patient's subjective impressions about success of failure of a given treatment are paramount, the "optional crossover design" is suggested. In this design, patients are randomised to receive either active medication or placebo during phase I. At its end the patient may choose to change to the other treatment arm, if therapy was felt to be unsuccessful (= optional cross-over). In phase II, treatment continues as in phase I except for those patients who have chosen the "optional cross-over". Further cross-over points may ensue depending on the particularities of the situation, however, two such options may be adequate for most studies. At the end of the trial period, the numbers of patients in each treatment arm are counted and evaluated statistically. If an optimally successful remedy is being tested, close to 100% of the study population could finish up in the active treatment arm. If, as in most instances, the remedy is not optimally successful, this percentage will be proportionally less. If an ineffective remedy is being tested, the distribution of the total sample within the two treatment arms approaches 50:50%. The "optional cross-over design" seems suited for RCT in areas where the complex, unmeasurable and subjective experience of the patient are considered to represent adequate endpoints.