THE EFFECT OF CHRONIC ETHANOL FEEDING ON BODY AND PLASMA COMPOSITION AND RATES OF SKELETAL MUSCLE PROTEIN TURNOVER IN THE RAT

(1) Sexually immature and mature rats were fed a nutritionally-completeliquid diet or isovolumetric quantities of the same diet inwhich 36% of the calories as glucose were substituted by isocaloricethanol. (2) After 6 weeks ethanol feeding, significant reductionsin body weight (approx. 15%) occurred in both groups of rats.In immature rats there were significant reductions (7–21%)in bone, gastrocnemius, liver, and skin weights. The total skeletalmuscle mass was reduced by 20%. Lung and kidney weights werenot significantly altered. In mature rats smaller decreasesin organ weights were found, which were only significant forskeletal muscle and skin. The gastrocnemius protein contentwas significantly reduced in immature but not in mature rats.Plasma protein concentrations were unaltered in both groups.(3) Plasma aspartate aminotransaminase, glutamyl transferaseand creatine kinase activities in immature and mature rats werenot significantly altered by ethanol feeding, but there wereincreases in plasma alkaline phosphatase activities in immature,but not in mature, rats. Plasma glucose was slightly raisedby ethanol feeding in immature but not mature rats. Plasma triglyceridesand insulin were unaltered in both groups of rats. (4) Proteinsynthesis was measured with a flooding dose of L[4³H]-phenylalanine.Rates of protein breakdown were calculated from the differencebetween synthesis and growth. Fractional and absolute ratesof skeletal muscle protein synthesis were reduced by 13–30%by ethanol treatment, in immature and mature rats. Fractionalrates of protein breakdown were also reduced by ethanol, by13 and 19% in immature and mature rats, respectively.     

The Toxicity of T-2 Toxin in Swine following Topical Application: II. Effects on Hematology, Serum Biochemistry, and Immune Response

The Toxicity of T-2 Toxin in Swine following Topical Application.II. Effects on Hematology, Serum Biochemistry, and Immune Response.PANG, V. F., FELSBURG, P. J., BEASLEY, V. R., BUCK, W. B., ANDHASCHEK, W. M. (1987). Fundam. APPl. Toxicol 9, 50–59.T-2 toxin at 0 (6 pigs) or 15 mg/kg (8 pigs) in 0.75 ml of dimethylsulfoxide was topically applied to 9- to 10- week-old, malecastrated, specific-pathogen-free derived pigs which were immunizedsubcutaneously with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) on Days 0 and21. Whole blood and serum samples were taken periodically forclinical pathologic and immunologic evaluations. The pigs wereobserved daily and weighed weekly; their rectal temperatureswere measured periodically. The T-2-treated pigs displayed anorexia,lethargy, posterior weakness and paresis, persistent high fever,and reduced body weight gain. Prominent neutrophilia, decreasedserum glucose, albumin, and alkaline phosphatase activity, andincreased serum globulin were seen in the T-2- treated group.The responses of enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cellsto mitogens concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, and pokeweedmitogen of the T-2-treated group were significantly lower thanthose of the control group both at early (3 to 5 days) and late(20 to 28 days) postdosing intervals. No significant effectswere noted in the hemagglutination titer to SRBC. Thus, in additionto the severe local dermal injury reported previously, topicalexposure of swine to a sublethal dose of T-2 toxin, 15 mg/kg,can cause significant systemic effects on parameters such asbody weight gain, rectal temperature, hematology, serum biochemistry,and cellular immune response.     

Use of a Long-Pulse Alexandrite Laser in the Treatment of Superficial Pigmented Lesions

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE Although the alexandrite 755-nm-wavelength laser is effective in the treatment of unwanted hair, there are no published studies gauging the efficacy of the variable long-pulse alexandrite laser in the treatment of superficial pigmented lesions.
STUDY DESIGN/METHODS Eighteen patients underwent a single treatment session using a variable pulse-width alexandrite laser. Test sites were performed using a 10-mm spot size and up to four pulse widths (3, 20, 40, 60 ms) with and without epidermal cooling. Full treatments were performed 3 weeks later using optimum test parameters. The patients were evaluated at 3 and 6 weeks.
RESULTS Patients with darker lentigines had greater lesion clearance than those patients with lighter colored lentigines. Shorter pulse widths and treatment without cryogen cooling both, independently, lowered the fluence threshold for lentigo clearance.
CONCLUSION A long-pulse alexandrite laser is effective in clearing solar lentigines in a single pass with minimal adverse effects.     

Mohs Micrographic Surgery in the Treatment of Rare Aggressive Cutaneous Tumors: The Geisinger Experience

BACKGROUND: Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) offers high cure rates and maximum tissue preservation in the treatment of more common cutaneous malignancies, but its effectiveness in rare aggressive tumors is poorly defined. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effectiveness of MMS in the treatment of six rare aggressive cutaneous malignancies as seen by Mohs surgeons working at a referral center. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 26,000 cases treated with MMS at the Geisinger Medical Center Department of Dermatology during a 16-year period with the following diagnoses: poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (PDSCC), dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), microcystic adnexal carcinoma (MAC), extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD), Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), and sebaceous carcinoma (SEB CA). Patient demographic data, tumor measurements, treatment characteristics, and marginal recurrence rates were compiled and evaluated. RESULTS: The mean numbers of cases identified per year for each tumor type were as follows: PDSCC, 6.19; DFSP, 2.44; MAC, 1.63; and EMPD, 0.63. For PDSCC, 85 cases were available for follow-up with a local recurrence rate of 6% at a mean follow-up time of 45 months. For DFSP, there were 35 cases with no local recurrence at a mean follow-up of 39 months. For MAC, there were 25 cases with a local recurrence rate of 12% at a mean follow-up of 39 months. For EMPD, there were 10 cases with no local recurrences at a mean follow-up of 34 months. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our data on PDSCC, DFSP, MAC, and EMPD, combined with other studies in the literature, show that MMS is the most effective therapy for these rare aggressive cutaneous malignancies.     

Adrenergically Mediated Ventricular Fibrillation in Probucol-Treated Dogs: Roles of Alpha and Beta Adrenergic Receptors

A high incidence of sudden death due to ventricular fibrillation (VF) has been observed in dogs under chronic treatment with probucol, a new hypocholesterolemic agent. The present study describes the cardiac electrophysiologic properties of probucol-treated dogs and characterizes the electrophysiological response of these animals to manipulation of the autonomic nervous system. There was no significant difference in the spontaneous sinus cycle length, the QT interval, refractory period of the atrium, ventricle or A-V junction between normal and probucol-treated dogs. Epinephrine produced VF with few and sometimes no preceding premature ventricular extrasystoles. Electrical stimulation of the stellate ganglion induced VF in 16/19 dogs whereas stimulation of the right stellate ganglion induced VF in 1/19 dogs. Phenylephrine induced VF in 0/19 dogs, isoproterenol in 5/19 dogs, but phenylephrine + isoproterenol induced VF in 9/11 dogs in which isoproterenol did not produce VF. alpha (phentolamine) or beta (propranolol) blockade prevented initiation of VF by epinephrine, phenylephrine + is isoproterenol, and left stellate stimulation but alpha blockade did not prevent induction of VF by isoproterenol when isoproterenol alone produced VF. In this nonischemic model, we conclude that left stellate stimulation is a far more potent initiator of VF than right stellate stimulation and that induction of VF appears to require both alpha and beta adrenergic receptor stimulation.     

Parent, Peer and Personal Determinants of Adolescent Drinking

This study examined direct and indirect influences of parents and peers on adolescent drinking. One hundred and six adolescents, their parents and a same-sex best friend of the adolescent each completed measures that tapped actual and perceived drinking behaviour, and normative standards for alcohol use. Of methodological interest was that adolescents of both sexes provided accurate reports of their parents' and peer's drinking, as well as drinking norms. Path analyses revealed different effects for male and female adolescents. Strongest predictors of alcohol use for males were their perceptions of their father's and mother's drinking, and their father's actual drinking. Best friend's drinking was positively related to the adolescent males' perceptions of themselves as a drinker. The single predictor of their internalized norms was the perception adolescent males had of their friend's drinking. Significantly, the adolescent male's own norms predicted how much and what they drank. For adolescent females, how much they believed their best friend drank, and their friend's normative standards, were the strongest predictors of alcohol use. Father's drinking also influenced the drinking practices of daughters, but mothers had no impact on their daughters' alcohol use. In contrast to young males, females' personal preferences or liking of alcohol successfully predicted most of their drinking behaviour.     

Drug‐Eluting vs. Conventional Balloon for Side Branch Dilation in Coronary Bifurcations Treated by Provisional T Stenting

Objective

The origin of the side branch (SB) is the most common site for restenosis in coronary bifurcations. The end‐point is to compare the results of SB dilation with drug‐eluting balloon (DEB group) versus conventional balloon (BAL group) in bifurcations treated with provisional T stenting.

Methods and Results

Each group included 50 patients. In DEB, the origin of SB was dilated with a Sequent^® Please balloon. In both groups, a Taxus Liberté^® stent was implanted in the main vessel, with kissing balloon postdilation. If the outcome for the SB was suboptimal, a Taxus stent was implanted in BAL and a bare stent in DEB group. An angiographic follow‐up and IVUS were scheduled for 12 months later. Adverse events (MACE) were 24% in BAL versus 11% in DEB (P = 0.11), with greater revascularization (TLR) in the BAL group (22% vs. 12%, P = 0.16). At angiographic follow‐up, there was a lower percentage of SB restenosis in the DEB group (20% vs. 7%, P = 0.08), with less late loss (0.40 mm vs. 0.09 mm, P = 0.01).

Conclusion

Side branch dilation with a drug‐eluting balloon resulted in better angiographic outcomes than with a conventional balloon, with less late loss and restenosis at the 12‐month follow‐up. (J Interven Cardiol 2013;26:454‐462)