[Holiday heart syndrome: spontaneous reversibility of the electrocardiographic and echocardiographic alterations]

The holiday heart syndrome is characterized by symptomatic arrhythmias more often supraventricular, elicited by alcohol ingestion, typically during the week-end period. After admission, electrocardiographic changes, which disappear in few days, are often reported. A case of an alcoholic with syncopal episodes related to alcohol ingestion is described. In this patient, remarkable changes of ventricular repolarization on the electrocardiogram associated with impairment of ventricular diastolic function on the Doppler echocardiographic study are showed. ECG and echo-Doppler data reversed to normality after few days of alcohol withdrawal.

A case control study for major trauma in geriatric patients

This study analyzed age as a univariate factor in survival in a national group of 46,613 major trauma patients and compared 180 elderly major trauma patients (greater than or equal to 65 years) to a similarly injured group of 3,918 younger patients (less than 65 years). In the national group, mortality rose sharply between age 45 (10%) and 55 (15%) and doubled at age 75 years (20%). This age-dependent survival decrement occurred at all Injury Severity Score values, for all mechanisms of injury, and for all body regions. In the comparison study, mortality in the elderly group was nearly double that of mortality in the younger group (27% vs. 14%). The older patients had a markedly higher complication death rate, especially for pulmonary (14/100 vs. 6.1/1100) and infectious complications (4.6/100 vs. 0.7/100). The median length of stay was twice as long for the older patients (14 days vs. 7 days). Cost data showed that the DRG prospective payment system grossly underestimated the cost of care for these patients (mean loss of $2,177.14 per patient). To minimize mortality and morbidity, triaging elderly trauma victims to trauma centers at a much lower threshold than similarly injured younger patients is recommended. The current DRG system should be altered to account for age-dependent morbidity. Further study is needed to determine whether more rigorous infection prophylaxis, immunomodulation, and pulmonary therapy will augment survival in elderly patients.

Avulsion of the scalp treated by microvascular repair: the use of leeches for post-operative decongestion

A 28-year-old fitter and turner was scalped at work. The scalp was avulsed from the nuchal area to the eyebrows in one piece. It was successfully replanted by microvascular surgery. Leeches were used to decongest the flap when venous drainage appeared inadequate during the first week. Only a small part of the flap eventually failed to survive and normal hair growth returned in all other areas.

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody to L1210 leukaemia

A mouse of monoclonal cell line (L1) was produced by fusing the mouse myeloma P3X63/Ag8 with CD2F1 spleen cells immunized with a highly immunogenic subline of L1210 leukaemia (L1210/DTIC). A very few positive clones (1%) were isolated and one of these was chosen for detailed study. The monoclonal antibody L1 is an IgM immunoglobulin strongly reacting in a complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay against L1210/Cr leukaemia and its more or less immunogenic sublines. The specificity of the L1 antibody against L1210 leukaemia was studied by extensive screening with normal adult and foetal tissues, lymphoid tissues from several independent strains and a panel of the most common experimental tumours, to all of which it was unreactive. Attempts at immunotherapy were carried out in DBA/2 mice challenged with L1210 leukaemia and treated with L1 (ascites) and complement. Although the in vitro cytotoxic titre of ascites fluid from mice bearing hybridoma was very high (10(-7)), no therapeutic effect was obtained in vivo.

Diurnal variations in plasma aminoacid concentrations. I) Effect of dietary protein intake on rhythm of neutral aminoacids

The effect of dietary protein content on the diurnal variations in plasma neutral amino acid levels was studied in normal human subjects. For 3 consecutive 5-day periods, subjects consumed diet containing 0-or 75 or 150 g of protein per day. Blood samples were drawn at 4-hr intervals on the 4th and 5th days of each period. Consumption of the protein-free diet caused plasma concentration of all amino acids in the late morning and afternoon, while the 150 g protein diet elicited increases in these levels during the daytime. Ingestion of the diet containing 75 g protein tended to diminish the amplitude the daily rhythms.

Diurnal variations in plasma concentrations of neutral amino acids. 2) Effect of dietary protein intake on amino acid ratios

The ratios of plasma tryptophan, tyrosine and phenilanine levels to the sum of other large neutral amino acids are reported. They tended to fall as the protein content of the diet was increased. The isoleucine ratios were not correlated with dietary protein content. Since diet-induced changes in plasma tryptophan and tyrosine ratios in animal are known to cause parallel alterations in brain tryptophan and tyrosine and levels, and thus in the rates of brain serotonin and catecholamines synthesis, out data suggest that the ingestion of carbohydrates and protein may also normally affect brain monoamine synthesis in humans.

Plasma 1,25 hydroxycholecalciferol concentrations and net intestinal calcium, phosphate and magnesium absorption in man

We evaluated the relationship between plasma concentrations of the renal hormone (I,25(OH)2 vitamin D and net intestinal CA,PO4 and Mg absorption in healthy volunteers eating similar diets. Net intestinal CA absorption was positively correlated to plasma I,25(OH)2D concentrations. By contrast, there was no significant correlation between PO4 and Mg absorption and plasma I,25(OH)2D concentrations. We conclude that net intestinal Ca absorption is critically dependent upon the availability of renal homone, while other factors must play a dominant role in regulating net intestinal PO4 and MG absorption.

Digestion and absorption of precooked frozen protein foods-1). Effect of presence of absence of polysaccharides

Proteins (casein) heat treated, frozen and heat retreated show a net decrease of digestibility and utilization as results of synthesis of Maillard compounds, directly related to the total time of heat treatment.

[Sugar mixtures and differential absorption during muscular exertion in the athlete]

The AA. reports the possibility to prepare special sugar mixtures at various degree of complexity (mono-di-oligo-polisaccharides). These have high solubility and neutral taste. These supply to athletes disposable amounts of glucose for muscular contraction during the play time.

[Essential amino acids and rat growth. I. Effect of lysine deficiency on hematopoiesis and rat growth]

The AA. reports that lysine deficiency in rats results in poor growth, low weight of heart and liver, anemia, hypoproteinemia and low concentration of haemoglobin. Rats fed supplemented lysine diet did not have any pathological condition in comparison with normal rats receiving standard laboratory diet.

[Basal metabolism and dynamic activity of food in obesity]

Metabolic rate of obese patients is reported, recorded to cellular active mass. The metabolic rate is higher in obese patients and the value is diucthy related to individual actual weight. The dinamic-specific action of proteins is normal.