Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus 43121 and a mixture of Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium longum on the serum cholesterol level and fecal sterol excretion in hypercholesterolemia-induced pigs.

The hypocholesterolemic effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus 43121 (43121) and a mixture of Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium longum (MIX) were studied in hypercholesterolemia-induced pigs. Serum total cholesterol was decreased by supplementation of either 43121 or MIX, although, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was not changed. The hypocholesterolemic effect of 43121 and MIX was mainly due to bile acid dehydroxylation, this effect being supplementation-time dependent.

Effect of dietary inclusion of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 43121 on cholesterol metabolism in rats.

This study examined the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 43121 (LAB) on cholesterol metabolism in hypercholesterolemia-induced rats. Four treatment groups of rats (n = 9) were fed experimental diets: normal diet, normal diet+LAB (2 x 10(6) CFU/day), hypercholesterol diet (0.5% cholesterol, w/w), and hypercholesterol diet + LAB. Body weight, feed intake, and feed efficiency did not differ among the four groups. Supplementation with LAB reduced total serum cholesterol (25%) and VLDL + IDL + LDL cholesterol (42%) in hypercholesterol diet groups, although hepatic tissue cholesterol and lipid contents were not changed. In the normal diet group, cholesterol synthesis (HMG-CoA reductase expression), absorption (LDL receptor expression), and excretion via bile acids (cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase expression) were increased by supplementation with LAB, and increased cholesterol absorption and decreased excretion were found in the hypercholesterol diet group. Total fecal acid sterols excretion was increased by supplementation with LAB. With proportional changes in both normal and hypercholesterol diet groups, primary bile acids (cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids) were reduced, and secondary bile acids (deoxycholic and lithocholic acids) were increased. Fecal neutral sterol excretion was not changed by LAB. In this experiment, the increase in insoluble bile acid (lithocholic acid) reduced blood cholesterol level in rats fed hypercholesterol diets supplemented with LAB. Thus, in the rat, L. acidophilus ATCC 43121 is more likely to affect deconjugation and dehydroxylation during cholesterol metabolism than the assimilation of cholesterol into cell membranes.

Anatomy of the external nasal nerve.

After rhinoplasty, many patients report numbness of the nasal tip. This is primarily because of injury to the external nasal nerve. It is imperative that surgeons performing rhinoplasty be familiar with the anatomy and the common variations of this nerve. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to present an anatomical study of the external nasal nerve. Twenty external nasal nerves were examined by dissecting 10 fresh cadaver noses within 48 hours of death. On dissection, the exit of the nerve between the nasal bone and upper lateral cartilage was identified. The distance from the point of exit to the midline of the nose and the size of the nerve were measured. The course and the running plane of the nerve were investigated. The nerve branchings were also classified into three types: type I, only one nerve without any branch; type II, one nerve proximally and then splitting into two main branches at the intercartilaginous junction; and type III, two main branches from the point of exit. The point of exit of the external nasal nerve from the distal nasal bone was located 6.5 to 8.5 mm (7.3 +/- 0.6 mm) lateral to the nasal midline. The average diameter of the nerve at the point of exit was 0.35 +/- 0.036 mm. Most of the nerves (95 percent) passed through the deep fatty layer directly under the nasal superficial musculoaponeurotic layer, all the way down to the alar cartilages. In terms of the branching type, type I was observed in 10 of 20 nerves (50 percent), type II was observed in six of 20 (30 percent), and type III was seen in four of 20 (20 percent). On the basis of the results of this study, the following precautions are suggested during a rhinoplasty to minimize the chance of injury to this nerve. First, it is best to avoid deep intercartilaginous or intracartilaginous incisions so that the deep fatty layer is not invaded and the dissection is maintained directly on the surface of the cartilage (deep to the nasal superficial musculoaponeurotic layer). Second, dissection at the junction of the nasal bone and upper lateral cartilage area of one side should be limited to within 6.5 mm from the midline. Lastly, when the nasal dorsum is augmented by an onlay graft, implants or grafts less than 13 mm wide at the rhinion level should be used.