Intra-arterial MR angiography in the iliac system: initial clinical experience with 25 patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate intra-arterial magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the iliac arteries. Therefore, 25 consecutive patients (17 male, 8 female) suffering from symptomatic occlusive disease of the lower limbs were investigated prospectively. Catheter angiography was performed before MRA and served as the standard of reference. Contrast-enhanced intra-arterial MRA was performed using a 1.5 Tesla MRI system. Contrast agent (gadodiamide) was injected by a conventional pigtail-shaped angiography catheter placed in the abdominal aorta. Vascular lesions were assessed by four investigators. The degree of stenosis was compared with the findings of conventional catheter angiography. Additionally, the diagnostic quality of the MR angiograms was assessed by the investigators using a semi quantitative five-point scale. All lesions shown by catheter angiography were detected and correctly localized by intra-arterial MRA. MR angiograms exhibit a specificity of 95% and a sensitivity of 96% for stenoses of 50% or more. The diagnostic quality of the images was judged from good to excellent, on average. Intra-arterial MRA exhibits a specificity and sensitivity comparable with intravenous angiography. The image quality appears to be adequate for supporting MR-guided vascular intervention.

Clinical and angiographic outcome after interventional treatment of the iliac arteries with a new carbofilm coated stent: preliminary results.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the handling, the procedural success rate and the six-month outcome of a new Carbofilm coated balloon-expandable stent in iliac artery lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, 46 stenoses and 2 occlusions of the iliac arteries were primarily stented in 30 patients with the Isthmus CarboStent (Sorin Biomedica Cardio S.p. A., Saluggia, Italy). The ankle-brachial index (ABI) at rest was determined before intervention and at the six-month follow-up visit. Iliac angiography, including intraarterial pressure measurement, was performed before intervention, post-procedurally and at the follow-up visit. RESULTS: All lesions were treated with procedural success. The mean degree of all stenoses was 73.9 % +/- 14.6 before and 2.4 % +/- 8.2 after intervention. The mean pressure gradient was 15.6 mm Hg +/- 10.1 before and 2.5 mm Hg +/- 2.7 after treatment. No or only a mild restenosis developed in 27 patients. The mean ABI increased from 0.64 +/- 0.21 to 0.86 +/- 0.33 and the mean pressure gradient was 2.7 mm Hg +/- 5.4 at the six-month visit. The six-month patency rate was 97.9 %. Three patients showed acute stent thrombosis due to an insufficient postprocedural antiplatelet regimen. DISCUSSION: The Isthmus CarboStent is a safe and easy to handle balloon-expandable stent for interventional therapy of iliac artery lesions. The six-month patency rate is good. Despite its Carbofilm coating, postprocedural antiplatelet therapy is necessary.

Microbiological stability of biodiesel-diesel-mixtures.

The biodegradation of rapeseed oil methyl ester (RME) in pure and in mixtures with diesel fuel was investigated. Higher ratio of diesel fuel in the mixture resulted in higher count of bacteria. Fungal growth was advanced by higher RME contents. The growth of microorganisms gained from soil was strongest in B 20 (20 vol.% biodiesel and 80 vol.% diesel fuel) mixtures followed by B 5 (5 vol.% biodiesel and 95 vol.% diesel fuel) mixtures and pure RME. The formation of free fatty acids (FFA) in the RME sample was measured according to DIN EN 14214. The content of FFA in inoculated RME samples rose from 0.08 mass% to 0.344 mass% at the beginning. The oxidation stability of inoculated samples of B 20, B 5 and pure RME decreased faster than the oxidation stability of blank samples. An optical evaluation showed the formation of turbidity. Partly, the formation of sediment was observed, especially in B 20 and B 5 samples.

[Effects of animal age and feeding regime on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of intensively fattened lambs. 2. Rumen volume and structure of rumen mucosa]. / Untersuchungen zum Einfluss des Alters der Tiere und des Fütterungsregimes auf quantitative und qualitative Merkmale von intensiv gemästeten Lämmern. 2. Mitteilung. Pansenvolumen und Strukturen der Pensenschleimhaut.

Lambs of the species Merino mutton sheep kept on a perforated floor received, from their 38th day of life, either fattening feed for lambs ad libitum or fattening feed for lambs ad libitum plus chopped dried green fodder ad libitum (quota 17% of the intake of dry matter). At intervals of three weeks 4 lambs of each group were slaughtered from their 40th to their 166th day of life. The determination of the physical rumen volume of one half of the animals did not show significant differences between the two feeding regimes. The rumen volume showed an approximately linear increase (B = 0,84) with the increasing age of the animals. Hyper- and parakeratotic changes of the epithelialis of the rumen were caused by both feeding regimes. They were distinctly stronger and earlier developed in animals which only received fattening feed for lambs. The measuring of the rumen villi showed significantly smaller villi in all age groups of those animals which had taken in dried lucerne green fodder as a supplement.