The FRESH Study: Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms with the New FRED X Flow Diverter with Antithrombotic Surface Treatment Technology-First Multicenter Experience in 161 Patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Flow diverters with antithrombotic coatings are increasingly used to improve the safety of flow diverter treatments of intracranial aneurysms. This study aimed to investigate the safety and short-term efficacy of the new FRED X flow diverter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical charts and procedural and imaging data of a consecutive series of patients with intracranial aneurysms who were treated with the FRED X at 9 international neurovascular centers were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-one patients (77.6% women; mean age, 55 years) with 184 aneurysms (11.2% acutely ruptured) were included in this study. Most aneurysms were located in the anterior circulation (77.0%), most frequently at the ICA (72.7%). The FRED X was successfully implanted in all procedures. Additional coiling was performed in 29.8%. In-stent balloon angioplasty was necessary in 2.5%. The rate of major adverse events was 3.1%. Thrombotic events occurred in 7 patients (4.3%) with 4 intra- and 4 postprocedural in-stent thromboses, respectively (1 patient had both peri- and postprocedural thrombosis). Of these thrombotic events, only 2 (1.2%) led to major adverse events (ischemic strokes). Postinterventional neurologic morbidity and mortality were observed in 1.9% and 1.2%, respectively. The rate of complete aneurysm occlusion after a mean follow-up of 7.0 months was 66.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The new FRED X is a safe and feasible device for aneurysm treatment. In this retrospective multicenter study, the rate of thrombotic complications was low, and the short-term occlusion rates are satisfactory.

The non-specific resistance of cattle to heartwater.

A distinction is drawn between the non-specific resistance to heartwater of very young calves and that of cattle older than a year. The suckling-calf resistance is at its greatest during the first few weeks after birth and then gradually declines during the next 6-8 months. Aspects of its possible mechanism and significance are discussed. The role played by conglutinin in the natural resistance of older cattle to heartwater and in the epidemiology of the disease in discussed.

Indirect micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of antibodies to Mycoplasma synoviae and M. gallisepticum.

The sensitivity and specificity of the indirect micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was compared with that of the rapid serum-plate test (RSPT) and the hemagglutination-inhibition test (HIT) in detecting antibodies to Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and M. synoviae (MS). Membrane antigens of MG strain S6 and MS strain NEL 61800 were used. ELISA was performed with single MS and single MG antigens and a combined MS/MG antigen. The MS-ELISA was as sensitive as the MS-RSPT and more sensitive than and as specific as the MS-HIT in detecting antibodies to MS. The MG-ELISA was less sensitive than the MG-RSPT and slightly less sensitive than the MG-HIT in detecting antibodies to MG in chickens experimentally infected with MG R strain but more sensitive in detecting antibodies in chickens infected with MG F strain. MG-ELISA resulted in fewer cross-reactions than the MG-RSPT but more than the MG-HIT. The combined MG/MS-ELISA was as sensitive as the ELISA with its individual antigen components. No nonspecific reactions were observed with sera from MG/MS-free flocks. The combined MG/MS-ELISA was found to be a practical screening test for antibodies to both MS and MG. Further improvement of the sensitivity and the specificity of the MG antigen is desirable.

Influence of type of carbohydrate on atherosclerosis in baboons fed semipurified diets plus 0.1% cholesterol.

Five groups of six (three male, three female) baboons (Papio ursinus) were maintained for 17 months on a semipurified diet containing 40% carbohydrate, 25% casein, 13.9% coconut oil, 0.1% cholesterol, 15% cellulose, 5% salt mix (USP XIV) and 1% vitamin mix. The carbohydrates fed were: fructose, sucrose, starch, glucose, and lactose. A fifth group was used as control and was fed bread, fruit, and vegetables. Serum, liver, and tissue lipids were analyzed at the end of the feeding period as were cholesterol absorption (as 3H-cholesterol) and synthesis (from 14C-mevalonic acid). Serum cholesterol and beta-lipoprotein levels were elevated in all the test groups compared to final control levels or to starting levels for all the baboons. Average serum cholesterol levels of the test groups were not significantly different. Liver lipids were elevated in all test groups except that fed glucose. Baboons on the test diets absorbed more exogenous cholesterol (3H) but biosynthesis of this sterol was not inhibited. The ratio of biliary primary/secondary bile acids was below normal levels only in the animals fed fructose and sucrose. Cholesteryl ester fatty acid spectra of serum and liver reflected the dietary fat. Fecal weight was 69% higher in lactose fed animals and 31% lower in sucrose fed animals than in the controls. The ratio of endogenous or exogenous neutral/acid steroids was considerably lower in the fructose-fed baboons than in the other animals. On this diet average aortic sudanophilia (percentage of surface) was: fructose, 11.3; sucrose, 10.4; starch, 21.3; glucose, 17.2 lactose, 65.8; and control, 1.4. Gross atheromatous lesions were seen in five of six baboons fed lactose; three of six baboons fed fructose; two of six baboons fed sucrose, and one of six baboons fed starch. In a second experiment three groups of baboons were fed the control diet, the semipurified diet in which the carbohydrate was lactose, and the semipurified diet containing lactose plus 0.1% cholesterol for 8.5 months. Serum lipids were elevated in the two test groups but liver lipids were not significantly different from control levels. Average aortic sudanophilia (percentage of area) was: lactose, 2.2; lactose-cholesterol, 20.8; and control, 0.3%. One of the six baboons in the lactose-cholesterol group had visible atherosclerotic lesions. These experiments represent the first successful attempt to produce severe atherosclerosis in baboons by dietary means alone.