Internal mammary artery-to-innominate vein arteriovenous fistula: treatment by transcatheter embolization

We present a patient in whom an iatrogenic arteriovenous fistula between the internal mammary artery and the innominate vein was successfully occluded by transcatheter embolization. We stress the importance of occluding all blood flow to the fistula in order to obtain its closure.

Effects of wheat bran on exocrine pancreas secretion in the pig

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of wheat bran consumption on exocrine pancreas secretion in pigs. Sixteen Large-White pigs were divided into two groups. The first group (control) was fed a diet without wheat bran and the second one (experimental) a diet containing 40% wheat bran. After one week the animals were fitted with two permanent fistulae (in the pancreatic duct and the duodenum) and/or with a catheter in a carotid artery. After an 8-day recovery period, pancreatic secretion (volume, protein content and output, chymotrypsin, trypsin, lipase and amylase activities) and plasma levels of some gastro-intestinal peptides [secretin, cholecystokinin (CCK), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide (PP)] were measured over an experimental period of 5 days. The results show that wheat bran intake induced an increase in the volume (+ 115%) and protein output (+ 36%) of the pancreatic juice secreted in a 24-hour period, whereas protein concentration decreased. All enzyme activities were enhanced by wheat bran. The plasma levels of secretin, VIP, somatostatin and PP were higher in the experimental than in the control group. On the contrary, plasma CCK levels were not affected by wheat bran consumption.

Prospect for prevention of human immunodeficiency virus infection: purified 120-kDa envelope glycoprotein induces neutralizing antibody

This study initiates an effort to develop a safe vaccine against the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) that is caused by infection with a retrovirus designated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) [formerly human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III)]. Other retrovirus models have shown that purified external glycoprotein subunits are immunogenic. The external envelope glycoprotein of HIV (gp120) has a molecular size of 120 kDa, is responsible for virus infectivity, and induces strong antibody response in humans. Purified HIV virus preparations contain relatively little gp120 so HIV-infected cells were used as the antigen source. The gp120 was localized on cell membranes and was solubilized with low levels of nonionic detergent. The glycoprotein was further purified by immunoaffinity chromatography over a resin prepared from IgGs isolated from patients. Homogeneity was achieved following extensive dialysis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The gp120 isolated from infected cells was shown to be structurally identical by peptide maps to virion gp120 and the amino-terminal amino acid sequence confirmed that the molecule was specified by the HIV genome. Goat, horse, and rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) immune sera to gp120 precipitated the homologous antigen and neutralized the in vitro infectivity of HIV. The induction of neutralizing antibody indicates that a gp120 subunit vaccine against HIV is theoretically possible.

[Non resectable colonic cancer. Results from a test of chemotherapy with simultaneous prescription of VM26, methyl-CCNU and 5 fluoro-uracile (author's transl)]

Thirty nine patients with non resectable colonic carcinoma entered into a phase II combination chemotherapy trial. The patients were treated with a sequential cyclic combination of 3 drugs: VM 26 (60 mg/m2), methyl-C.C.N.U. (120 mg/m2) and 5 fluoro-uracile. Seventeen patients out of 39 (43.6%) are considered as good responders. The median survival time of the overall of this group is 12.6 months; it is of 15,6 months for good responders and of 7 months for non responders. The simultaneous application of B.C.G. do not change neither the level of responses nor the median of survival time. The good tolerance of this protocol let us to propose this combination as an adjuvant treatment for patients surgically treated for a Dukes'C colonic cancer.

AN APPRAISAL OF ABBREVIATED METHODS OF DETERMINING THE TOTAL SOLIDS CONTENT OF MILK

A modified Mojonnier method, and two lactometer methods, each designed to give rapid approximations of total solids content of milk from individual cows, were compared with the standard Mojonnier method. Each of the rapid methods underestimated a high solids content and overestimated a low solids content. The Cenco Rapid Moisture Tester proved to be accurate but no more rapid than the standard Mojonnier method.