Effects of Information about Fat Content on Food Preferences in Pre-adolescent Children

The acceptance and sensory characteristics of standard and reduced-fat cookies were evaluated either with or without fat-content information by pre-adolescent children. Results indicate that acceptance ratings were not affected by the fat content or information about fat content when evaluated on nine-point scales. However, when asked to choose which cookie they liked better and to predict how many cookies they would eat (in forced-choice questions), fat content and information about fat content had a significant effect on cookie preference and prospective intake. When no information was available, subjects preferred the cookie with the higher fat content; when information was presented, subjects' preference shifted to the reduced-fat cookie. When asked which cookie they would choose to eat for dessert with hypothetical lunches, a similar shift in choice was observed following a low-fat lunch. The low-fat label was also associated with an increase in perceived healthiness relative to the high-fat label, as indicated on “good for me” scales. The effects of fat content information on cookie preference and prospective consumption were seen in pre-adolescents who indicated a “high concern” for the health consequences of dietary fat. Cookie preference and prospective intake of subjects who indicated a “low concern” were not affected by fat content labeling. Results suggest that fat content and information about fat content may affect food preference and intake in pre-adolescent children.     

Stability of Permanent Transvenous Dual-Chamber Pacing Electrodes During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

For long-term dual-chamber permanent pacing, atrial and ventricular lead stability is essential. In our overall experience with such pacing systems, four patients suffered cardiac arrest at a time distant from their pacemaker implantation. Since all four patients received prolonged closed chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation, we analyzed these events to determine whether dual-chamber endocardial electrodes would remain stable in such traumatic conditions. Reliable atrial and ventricular lead position was confirmed at autopsy in the three patients whose resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful and, in the fourth patient, by continued normal lead position and pacing function post-resuscitation. The keys to this stability include the use of tined atrial and ventricular endocardial leads and specific maneuvers at the time of implantation to verify fixation. Long-term stability of presently available endocardial leads in dual-chamber pacing systems can thus be anticipated.     

A Guide to the Statistical Analysis of Long-Term Carcinogenicity Assays

A Guide to the Statistical Analysis of Long-Term CarcinogenicityAssays. MCKNIGHT, B. (1988). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 10, 355–364.Statistical methods for analyzing data from chronic carcinogenicitybioassays are reviewed. When treatment groups do not show markeddifferences in tumor-free death rates, methods that comparethe crude proportions of animals that develop tumors can berecommended as valid and powerful comparisons of age-specifictumor incidence rates. When the age at tumor onset can be observed,techniques of survival analysis such as the logrank test canadjust for differing tumor-free mortality rates. If tumors arestrictly nonlethal, the age-adjusted comparison of tumor prevalenceamong dying animals compares age-specific tumor incidence rates.When tumors are occult or of intermediate lethality and whentumor-free death rates differ substantially, a variety of techniquesare available, but most are computationally intensive and relyeither on the collection of additional data or on additionalassumptions that may not be met.     

The value of bacteriology and serology in the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis

Fourteen patients with necrotizing fasciitis are described. In thirteen the cause was Streptococcus pyogenes [Group A beta haemolytic streptococcus (BHS)]; in the fourteenth, Staphylococcus aureus was responsible. In the acute fulminating form of the disease, BHS can be cultured from the affected tissues. In the less acute form, particularly when the patient has been previously treated with antibiotics, other bacteria colonize the tissues and the BHS cannot be isolated. Serological evidence of infection with Streptococcus pyogenes can be ascertained in all such patients by finding high levels of anti-desoxyribonuclease B and anti-hyaluronidase. Measurement of the anti-streptolysin O titre is not helpful. Once the diagnosis is made, surgical removal of all necrotic tissue is still the treatment of choice.