Vaccination of calves against Ostertagia ostertagi with cysteine proteinase enriched protein fractions

Cysteine proteinase enriched fractions obtained by thiol-sepharose chromatography of Ostertagia ostertagi membrane-bound protein extract (S3-thiol) or total adult excretory-secretory (ES-thiol) products were tested in a vaccination experiment to evaluate their protective efficacy against O. ostertagi in cattle. Calves were vaccinated three times and subsequently challenged with a trickled infection of 25,000 infective larvae in total over 25 days (1000 L3/day, 5 days/week). Geometric mean cumulative egg counts in the ES-thiol group were reduced by 60% during the 2-month period between the first challenge infection and necropsy, compared to the control group (P < 0.002). No reduction in egg output was observed in the S3-thiol group. At necropsy, calves immunized with ES-thiol had a significantly higher percentage of inhibited L4 larvae (9.8%) and had in total 18% less worms than the control calves, but this reduction was not statistically significant. Both the female and male adult worms were significantly smaller in the ES-thiol group than in the control group. Although no significant difference was observed in the number of eggs per female worm between the groups, there was a trend to less eggs per female worm in the ES-thiol group. Number of worms, size of adult worms and number of eggs per female worm were not significantly different between the S3-thiol group and the control group. Systemic immunization with QuilA as adjuvant induced a significant rise in Ostertagia-specific antibody levels in the abomasal mucosa. Ostertagia-specific local antibody levels showed a significant negative correlation with the size of the adult worms, the number of eggs per female worm and the cumulative faecal egg counts. However, these correlations were quite weak and did not appear to be isotype-specific.

Implementing a congestive heart failure disease management program to decrease length of stay and cost

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is the most common reason for a hospital admission in the Medicare age group and is nearly double the rate of pneumonia, the next highest volume diagnosis. The economic burden of this debilitating, chronic disease demands a mechanism to improve quality of care while preventing unnecessary hospitalizations. Beginning in 1995, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (ENH) created a disease management program involving a multidisciplinary team designed to decrease length of stay (national average = 6.2 days; ENH = 4 days), reduce costs, prevent readmissions (national 30-day readmission rate = 23%; ENH CHF Program = 2.3%), and improve compliance with the treatment regimen. Compliance monitoring through an automated telemanagement program reinforces education, identifies early warning signs and reduces the likelihood of hospitalization. After 18 months, telemanagement participants' compliance rate averages 89.5%. CHF hospitalization rates are 0.6/patient/year compared with the national benchmark of 1.7/patient/year. A disease management program consists of inpatient consultation, education, outpatient CHF clinic, cardiac home care, and compliance monitoring. Throughout this continuum, education must be communicated consistently by all team members. A CHF Assessment Guide assists the multidisciplinary team to thoroughly complete all education and address unique solutions to patients' needs.

Proteinases and associated genes of parasitic helminths

Many parasites have deployed proteinases to accomplish some of the tasks imposed by a parasitic life style, including tissue penetration, digestion of host tissue for nutrition and evasion of host immune responses. Information on proteinases from trematodes, cestodes and nematode parasites is reviewed, concentrating on those worms of major medical and economical importance. Their biochemical characterization is discussed, along with their putative biological roles and, where available, their associated genes. For example, proteinases expressed by the various stages of the schistosome life-cycle, in particular the well-characterized cercarial elastase which is involved in the penetration of the host skin and the variety of proteinases, such as cathepsin B (Sm31), cathepsin L1, cathepsin L2, cathepsin D, cathepsin C and legumain (Sm32), which are believed to be involved in the catabolism of host haemoglobin. The various endo- and exoproteinases of Fasciola hepatica, the causative agent of liver fluke disease, are reviewed, and recent reports of how these enzymes have been successfully employed in cocktail vaccines are discussed. The various proteinases of cestodes and of the diverse superfamilies of parasitic nematodes are detailed, with special attention being given to those parasites for which most is known, including species of Taenia, Echinococcus, Spirometra, Necator, Acylostoma and Haemonchus. By far the largest number of papers in the literature and entries to the sequence data bases dealing with proteinases of parasitic helminths report on enzymes belonging to the papain superfamily of cysteine proteinases. Accordingly, the final section of the review is devoted to a phylogenetic analysis of this superfamily using over 150 published sequences. This analysis shows that the papain superfamily can be divided into two major branches. Branch A contains the cathepin Bs, the cathepsin Cs and a novel family termed cathepsin Xs, while Branch B contains the cruzipains, cathepsin Ls, papain-like and aleurain/cathepsin H-like proteinases. The relationships of the helminth proteinases, and similar proteinases from protozoan parasites and other organisms, within these groups are discussed.

Prophylactic oral dolasetron mesylate reduces nausea and vomiting after abdominal hysterectomy. The Canadian Dolasetron Study Group

PURPOSE

The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) varies from 50% to 75% after gynaecological surgery under general anaesthesia. This study evaluates the dose-response relationships, safety, and efficacy of the new 5-HT3 antagonist, dolasetron mesylate, in the prevention of PONV in women undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH).

METHODS

Three hundred and seventy four women scheduled for TAH under general anaesthesia were studied at 13 Canadian centres. Patients received in a randomized, double-blind manner 25, 50, 100, or 200 mg dolasetron or placebo po one to two hours before induction of anaesthesia. The anesthetic protocol was standardized. Efficacy was evaluated for 24 hr after surgery by comparing the number of emetic episodes, administration of rescue medication, severity of nausea, and patient satisfaction.

RESULTS

Analysis of complete response (no emetic episodes and no rescue for 24 hr) revealed a linear dose-response relationship across dolasetron groups (P < 0.002). Dolasetron 100 mg (P < 0.003) and 200 mg (P < 0.01) were superior to placebo. The percentage of patients with no emetic episodes increased from 29.3% (placebo) to 54.1 % (100 mg). Subgroup analysis revealed ASA status (I > II), previous history of PONV, previous history of motion sickness, and total morphine dose (> 55 mg associated with less PONV than < 55 mg) influenced the incidence of emetic symptoms, but did not alter the results of the primary analysis.

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic dolasetron (100 mg and 200 mg) reduces the incidence of PONV in patients having total abdominal hysterectomy.

The isolation and purification of a proteinase with chymotrypsin-like properties from ovine mucosal mast cells

A mast cell granule proteinase was purified from isolated ovine mucosal mast cells by cation exchange chromatography, which defined the conditions for enzyme purification from sheep gastric mucosae. Antibodies raised against the proteinase were used in subsequent purification procedures which yielded 78 micrograms of enzyme per 5 g wet wt of abomasal tissue. Immuno-histochemistry confirmed that mucosal mast cells were the source of the enzyme. The proteinase had chymotrypsin-like esterase activity, with a molecular weight between 19,000 and 25,000.

The effects of dietary tryptophan levels on growth and metabolism of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Groups of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) (mean weight 14 g) were given diets containing 0.8, 1.3, 2, 3, 4 or 6 g tryptophan/kg diet for 12 weeks. By analysis of the growth results, the dietary requirement of tryptophan was found to be 2.5 g/kg diet (equivalent to 50 mg/kg biomass per d). Carbon dioxide expired by trout following intraperitoneal injection of [14COOH]tryptophan contained little radioactivity when dietary tryptophan level was low but, above 2.0 g/kg diet, it increased rapidly with increasing dietary tryptophan level. The break point in the dose-response curve did not, however, coincide with that from the growth results. Changes in concentrations of free tryptophan in blood and liver and activity of hepatic tryptophan pyrrolase (EC 1. 13. 11. 11) in response to changes in dietary tryptophan concentration did not provide reliable indicators for quantifying dietary requirement. Unlike the situation in mammals, blood tryptophan was not protein-bound to any appreciable extent. Tryptophan pyrrolase of trout has properties which suggest it has no apoenzyme form. In fish given adequate levels of tryptophan injected intraperitoneally with a tracer dose of [14COOH]tryptophan, 60% of the dose was incorporated into body protein within 1 d. The turnover of the label in this protein is very slow. Those trout given diets deficient in tryptophan suffered from severe scoliosis and lordosis as well as having increased liver and kidney levels of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium.

Studies on the nutrition of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). Magnesium deficiency: the effect of feeding with a Mg-supplemented diet

1. For a period of 8 weeks, rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), mean initial weight 21 g, were given either a low-magnesium or control diet containing 0·03 and 0·58 g Mg/kg diet respectively. Both groups of trout were then given the control diet for a further 11 weeks.

2. Weight gains over the initial 8-week period were lowest in the Mg-deficient trout. Feeding the deficient fish the control diet rapidly improved growth rate until it was the same as that of the control trout.

3. Plasma Mg was significantly lower in the Mg-deficient trout at week 8. Feeding with the control diet for 11 weeks did not increase plasma Mg. Few changes were observed in the plasma concentrations of the other electrolytes.

4. Renal calcium concentrations were unaffected by dietary Mg levels. Similarly, the renal levels of phosphorus, sodium and potassium all fell within the range found in normal rainbow trout.

5. Muscle Mg concentrations were reduced in those trout given the Mg-deficient diet. Feeding with the control diet for a further 11 weeks increased muscle Mg but the level was still significantly lower than that found in trout given the control diet for 19 weeks.

6. The bone ash Mg concentration was significantly lower, and the Ca higher, in the deficient fish at week 8, when compared with the control group.

7. When compared with the value at the start of the experiment, total bone Mg fell slightly in the deficient trout over the initial 8-week period, but increased in the control group of fish. Feeding with the control diet for a further 11 weeks increased total bone Mg in both Mg-deficient trout and control trout.

8. The results show that the Mg deficiency imposed on the rainbow trout was of limited severity and almost complete recovery was obtained when the control diet was fed.

Incidence and Origin of Clostridium botulinum Spores in Honey

Eighty honey samples, including some from foreign countries, were obtained from a local processor or from apiaries in Pennsylvania, Illinois and New Jersey. They were analyzed for Clostridium botulinum spores by a dilution-centrifugation (DC) procedure and by direct addition (DA) of honey to two different enrichment media. All were negative by the DC method; five were positive by DA in fluid thioglycollate media and six by DA in cooked meat media. Some samples positive in fluid thioglycollate media were negative in cooked meat media and vice versa. Bees ( Apis mellifera , 25,000 per hive) were experimentally inoculated with spores of C. botulinum by feeding a 50% sugar-water solution containing 1.6 × 10⁵ spores of 20 strains (equal numbers of 11 type A and 9 type B). Honey collected from the hive 2 weeks later contained 1100 spores per g; that collected after 5 weeks contained 50 spores per g. Quantitative estimates of honey yield and spore contents indicated that all the spores originally ingested by the bees had been incorporated into the honey. No botulinal spores were found in the intestinal or rectal contents of the bees 2 weeks or more after spore ingestion.

The effect of low dietary manganese intake on rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

1. Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) of mean initial weight 15 g were given either a low-manganese or control diet containing 1.3 and 33 mg Mn/kg dry diet respectively. 2. Weight gains over a 24-week feeding period were the same for both groups of trout. 3. Hepatosomatic index, blood packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration, plasma protein and the activities of aspartic aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) and alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2) were unaffected by dietary Mn intake. 4. Plasma potassium and iron levels were increased in the trout given the low-Mn diet. 5. The hepatic levels of magnesium, sodium, K, zinc, copper, Mn and phosphorus were significantly reduced in the fish given the low-Mn diet. 6. In those trout given the low-Mn diet the levels of Mn and calcium in the vertebral ash were significantly reduced. 7. The hepatic activity of Cu-Zu superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1; Cu-ZnSOD) and of Mn superoxide dismutase (EC1.15.1.1; MnSOD) in cardiac muscle and liver was reduced in the group of trout given the low-Mn diet. The fall in Cu-ZnSOD and MnSOD activities coincided with reduced tissue levels of their respective metal components.

Tissue distribution, uptake, and requirement for alpha-tocopherol of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) fed diets with a minimal content of unsaturated fatty acids

The metabolism of and requirements for alpha-tocopherol in rainbow trout fed diets containing 1% linolenic acid as sole source of unsaturated fat and graded levels of tocopherol (0.06-10 mg/100 g) were examined. Fish grew 5-fold over a 16-week period. In liver, tocopherol was concentrated in mitochondria with little in cytosol. Orally administered [3H]-tocopherol was rapidly taken up by plasma and liver but uptake into erythrocytes and white muscle was much slower; in most tissues radioactivity reached a plateau after about 3 days but in red muscle radioactivity increased over a 10-day period. Activities of enzymes that prevent free radical initiated tissue damage did not change in tocopherol deficiency. Tocopherol-deficient trout had no gross or subcellular pathologies even though liver and muscle were severely depleted of the vitamin. Ascorbic acid-stimulated lipid peroxidation in liver organelles indicated a tocopherol requirement of 2-3 mg/100 g diet; the molar ratios of polyunsaturated fatty acids to tocopherol in livers of trout fed diets lacking or supplemented with tocopherol (100 mg/100 g) were 980 and 170, respectively.

Studies on the nutrition of salmonid fish. The magnesium requirement of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

1. Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) of mean initial weight 35 g were given one of five experimental diets for 20 weeks. The diets contained (g/kg dry diet) 15 calcium, 10 phosphorus and graded levels of magnesium from 0.04 (diet no. 1) to 1.0 (diet no. 5). In a second experiment rainbow trout of mean initial weight 16 g were given one of six experimental diets for 20 weeks. The diets contained (g/kg dry diet): Ca (40), P (30) and levels of Mg from 0.06 (diet no. 6) to 2.0 (diet no. 11). 2. In both experiments weight gains were lowest in those trout given diets containing the basal levels of Mg (diet no. 1 and diet no. 6) but increased with increasing dietary Mg concentration. In neither experiment was there any further increase in weight gain once the Mg concentration reached 0.25-0.5 g/kg dry diet; weight gain reached a plateau at this dietary MG level. 3. The following trends occurred in serum electrolyte concentrations as dietary Mg increased. Mg increased in both experiments, in Expt 2 it reached a maximum of 1 mmol/l when the diet contained 0.5 g Mg/kg and did not increase further; sodium was positively correlated in both experiments; potassium decreased and in Expt 2 reached a plateau minimum of 1.7 mmol/l at a dietary Mg concentration of 0.5 g/kg; Ca and P altered little in either experiment. 4. In both experiments renal Ca concentrations were greatly increased in trout given diets lacking supplementary Mg; they fell to low levels (3-5 mmol/kg) when diets contained 0.15 g Mg/kg or more. Renal K and P concentrations were negatively correlated with dietary Mg in Expt 2; other electrolytes measured were not altered in concentration by the treatments used. 5. Extracellular fluid volume (ECFV) of muscle was negatively correlated with dietary Mg. In Expt 2 it reached a minimal or normal value at 0.5 g Mg/kg diet and did not decrease further. Muscle Mg concentration increased with diet Mg in both experiments and muscle K concentration was also correlated with diet Mg in Expt 2. These changes were related to the shift in muscle water. In Expt 1, P concentration was decreased with increasing diet Mg but in Expt 2 its concentration increased, these changes may have been connected with the three-fold difference in dietary P in the two experiments. 6. By contrast with skeletal muscle, Mg levels in cardiac muscle increased at low dietary Mg intakes. 7. Concentrations of electrolytes in liver did not alter with the dietary treatments used. 8. The results show that Mg requirement of rainbow trout is met by a diet containing 0.5 gMg/kg diet.

Bilateral gaze paralysis with positive computerized tomography findings. A clinicoanatomic correlation

The subacute development of an almost isolated bilateral gaze paralysis in a patient with mycosis fungoides allowed a unique opportunity for in vivo clinicoanatomical correlation when enhanced computerized tomography (CT) scan revealed two extremely small lesions of the pontine tegmentum. The larger lesion involved the region occupied by the medial longitudinal fasciculus and the paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF) bilaterally, and was alone sufficient to account for the eye movement disorder.

Studies on the nutrition of marine flatfish. The pyridoxine requirement of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)

1. Diets containing graded levels of pyridoxine hydrochloride (to supply 0.26--30 mg pyridoxine/kg) were given to seven duplicate groups of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) for 12 weeks and their growth rate was measured during this period. 2. Good growth was obtained on all treatments except those groups given less than 1.0 mg pyridoxine/kg diet. These fish grew normally until weeks 8--10 but thereafter their weight gain was significantly less than that for other treatments. 3. Measurements of aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) in muscle and liver and of alanine amino-transferase (EC 2.6.1.2) in liver of the turbot showed that the activities of these enzymes increased with increasing dietary pyridoxine intake up to a level of 2.5 mg pyridoxine/kg. The activities of these enzymes were not further enhanced by additional dietary pyridoxine. 4. Percentage stimulation of these enzymes by pre-incubation of extracts with pyridoxal phosphate was minimal with those groups of turbot given 2.5 mg pyridoxine/kg diet or more. 5. It is concluded that the dietary requirement of turbot for vitamin B6 can be safely met with a diet containing between 1.0 and 2.5 mg pyridoxine/kg. 6. An eighth group of turbot given the pyridoxine antagonist 4-deoxypyridoxine hydrochloride (20 mg/kg) showed retarded growth after 2 weeks, together with a high mortality rate.

The regulation of gluconeogenesis by diet and insulin in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

1. The effects of diet composition and insulin treatment on blood glucose level, blood amino acid concentrations, the activities of two hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes (fructose diphosphatase,EC3.1.3.11; phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase,EC4.1.1.32) and of two hepatic glycolytic enzymes (hexokinase,EC2.7.1.1; pyruvate kinase,EC2.7.1.40) were examined in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

2. Blood glucose levels were much higher in trout given a high-carbohydrate (HC) diet than in those given a high-protein (HP) diet. Insulin reduced blood glucose concentration in the HC-fed fish but had no effect in HP-fed fish.

3. Plasma amino acid concentrations were higher in HP-fed trout than in HC-fed trout. Insulin reduced plasma amino acid levels in both groups.

4. Gluconeogenic enzyme activities were higher in HP-fed trout than in HC-fed trout. Insulin reduced phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity in HP-fed trout but had no effect on either enzyme activity in the HC-fed trout.

5. Pyruvate kinase activity was greater in HC-fed trout than in HP-fed trout. Insulin did not affect pyruvate kinase activity in the HC-fed trout but reduced it in HP-fed trout.

6. Hexokinase activity was not affected by the diet treatments used, but was enhanced in the trout treated with insulin. Glucokinase (EC2.7.1.2) was not detected in any of the trout livers.

7. The results suggest that the inability of trout to control blood glucose concentration is partly due to a lack of glucose-phosphorylating capacity. Gluconeogenesis is controlled in response to diet and insulin by changes in enzyme level and by variation in concentration of gluconeogenic substrates.

The production of renal calcinosis by magnesium deficiency in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

1.

Alloxan diabetic neuropathy: electron microscopic studies

Peripheral nerves of diabetic rats were studied 2 years after alloxan injection. We observed demyelination and remyelination, axonal degeneration and regeneration, reduplication of basal laminae around vessels and Schwann's cells, as well as onion bulb formation by proliferated Schwann's cells. Crystalline deposits composed of aggregates of fibrillary electron dense material often occurred in vessel walls and endoneurium of diabetic animals but rarely were seen in nerves from age-matched control animals. Glycogen accumulated in myelinated and unmyelinated axons within mitochondria. Axoplasmic inclusions resembling Lafora's bodies and the inclusions of glycogenosis type IV were frequent and often were accompanied by deposits of particulate glycogen. The findings suggest that the neuropathy in alloxan diabetes is caused by metabolic impairment of anxons, Schwann's cells, and vessels, leading to segmental demyelination and axonal degeneration.

Coping with fatherhood: the first year

Fantasy (thinking back to prebaby times) and holidays (going out alone with the wife) are examined here as methods of coping with parenthood for 93 white, first-time fathers. Results suggest that only the holiday coping mechanism is associated with maintaining or improving marital satisfaction. The use of fantasy actually decreases marital satisfaction. These data suggest that the discrepancies in the conclusions of previous "parenthood as crisis" studies may be accounted for through the analysis of coping mechanisms that various fathers utilize.