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A descending thoracic aortobifemoral artery bypass graft is proposed as an alternative procedure for revascularization of the lower extremities when an intra-abdominal approach is not feasible or is ill-advised. Three patients underwent a thoracobifemoral graft because of severe cardiopulmonary disease combined with multiple prior abdominal surgeries, complications of radiation, and sepsis. Patency of the aortobifemoral grafts was documented by palpable pulses and increased ankle: brachial ratios improving from 0.3 to 0.6, resulting in the relief of rest pain and obviating a limb-threatening situation.

Water permeability and composition of soluble cuticular lipids of isolated cuticular membranes from leaves of Citrus aurantium L. were investigated for 3 successive years. The average water permeability coefficient determined using 169 cuticular membranes was 1.09·10(-7) cm s(-1) with a standard deviation of 0.78·10(-7) cm s(-1). There were no significant differences in water permeability between years. Cuticular membranes are characterized by a great variability in water permeability both within and between years. Both water permeability of individual membranes and variability between membranes are shown to be determined by soluble cuticular lipids contained within the cuticular membranes. The soluble cuticular lipids of Citrus leaves are composed of fatty acids, primary alcohols, esters, and hydrocarbons. They occur in amounts of 9.84 μg cm(-2), which represents approx. 3% of the total mass of isolated cuticular membranes. The specific weight of cuticular membranes (365.4 μg cm(-1)) and total amount of soluble cuticular lipids did not vary significantly between years. Significant differences were observed for the amounts and composition of the constituent classes of lipids. Six homologues comprise 86% of the fatty acids (C16; C18; C19; C21; C24; C26), 83% of the primary alcohols (C24; C26; C28; C30; C32; C34) and 88% of the esters (C36; C38; C40; C41; C42; C44). Eleven major homologues amount only to 62% of the total hydrocarbons (C16; C17; C18; C20; C26; C27; C29; C30; C31; C32; C33). Variability in the composition of soluble cuticular lipids between years was much smaller than variability of water permeability and, therefore, no relation between composition of soluble cuticular lipids and water permeability could be found. It is suggested that this may be due to the fact that the lipid composition observed represents the averages of 20 to 30 membranes analyzed so that differences between individual membranes may have been leveled out.

In the Surgical Department of the Städtisches Krankenhaus München-Harlaching, 7 malformations of the lung in the shape of intralobar or extralobar sequestration were found among 1150 lung resections. Preoperative diagnosis caused no difficulty, even when angiography was dispensed with. In two cases a coincidence with other deformities was demonstrated. Deviations from the usual differentiation between intralobar and extralobar sequestration were found repeatedly with regard to location and vascular supply. All the 7 patients affected were cured by resection therapy.

Rabbits which had been intravenously injected with Vincristine for six weeks showed changes in the outer plexiform layer of the retina after one year, which suggests the destruction of receptor cells, bipolar ganglion cells, and horizontal cells. Compensated cell damage accompanied by loss of microtubuli in the cytoplasma, autolytic vacuoles, granular material deposits, and membrane changes of the ribbon complex were frequently observed. A comparison between axons and dendrites showed a predominance of damaged dendritis over axons. Because short-term studies have not produced the same results, different regeneration capacities, which might have their origin in the endoplasmatic reticulum, are discussed.