TNF-alpha and IL-6 synergistically inhibit ketogenesis from fatty acids and alpha-ketoisocaproate in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Background: During sepsis, lipid metabolism is shunted toward triacylglycerol synthesis and hepatic lipogenesis. A decrease in ketogenesis from free fatty acids also is observed, probably mediated by cytokines involved in host response to infection. Whether such an inhibition of ketogenesis occurs with other ketone body precursors such as ketoacids is not known.

How useful is aminolevulinic acid dehydratase as a marker of recent alcohol intake?

Erythroycte delta aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) has been suggested as a marker for detecting recent alcohol intake. Unlike other markers, ALAD activity decreases after alcohol intake. Review of the literature suggests that the main interest in this marker is because it increases rapidly after withdrawal.

New aspects of urolithiasis in France. GERBAP: Groupe d'Evaluation et de Recherche des Biologistes de l'Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris.

Objective: To confirm epidemiological studies showing a continuous progression of calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis in western countries, we investigated some aspects of the evolution of stone disease in France.

Methods: Calculi collected from 1977 to 1993 in 10,438 adult French patients were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. Only 8,631 well-documented cases were available.

alpha-tocopherol enrichment of high-density lipoproteins: stabilization of hydroperoxides produced during copper oxidation.

In the aim to study the effect of an in vitro enrichment of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) with alpha-tocopherol in alcoholic solution on a copper-induced peroxidation, we monitored several markers of lipid peroxidation (alpha-tocopherol consumption, formation of conjugated dienes and of fatty acid hydroperoxides, production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances) and the integrity of apolipoprotein A-I. High-density lipoproteins (1.063 < d < 1.

Smoking and coffee intake following alcohol withdrawal in alcoholic inpatients.

The aim of this study was to assess alcoholic inpatients' smoking and coffee intake variation following withdrawal. Only moderate smokers (less than 30 cigarettes/day) showed a significant increase of cigarette consumption after alcohol withdrawal. However, their urinary cotinine level did not vary, suggesting a behavioral, and not biological, compensation through smoking following alcohol withdrawal.