Parasitic encephalitis due to Baylisascaris sp. in wild and captive woodchucks (Marmota monax)

Twelve of 102 woodchucks submitted for necropsy to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine had clinical histories of central nervous system disorder. All had multifocal eosinophilic encephalitis with formation of granulomas. Nematode larvae, identified as Baylisascaris sp. were found in six of the 12 and were assumed to be the etiologic agent in all affected woodchucks. Both wild and captive (wild-trapped) woodchucks were affected, and all occurrences were between mid-June and early September.

Myocardial necrosis secondary to neural lesions in domestic animals

Focal myocardial necrosis secondary to neural lesions was diagnosed in 2 dogs and 1 horse. In each case, the neural lesions were traumatic in origin. Spinal cord injury was evident in 1 dog; brain damage was evident in the other dog and presumably in the horse. Retrospective analysis of necropsy material showed that many species were affected, without apparent age or sex predisposition. Central nervous system injury resulting from trauma, infection or space-occupying lesions was associated with acute myocardial necrosis in all cases. The myocardial necrosis was rarely fatal; however, it did cause cardiac arrhythmias.

The prophylaxis of rat and mouse mammary gland tumorigenesis by suppression of prolactin secretion: a reappraisal

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of early and temporal CB-154 induced suppression of prolactin secretion on the genesis of mammary tumors in female Sprague-Dawley rats treated i.g. with 3 doses of 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA); doses which yield a high (20 mg), moderate (5 mg) and low (1.25 mg) mammary carcinoma incidence. In addition, the effect of prolactin suppression on the genesis of mammary tumors in strains of rodents which, when treated with maximally tolerated doses of DMBA, develop a moderate (female Lewis rats) and a low (female Long-Evans rats and female Balb/c mice) mammary carcinoma incidence was also evaluated. Daily suppression of prolactin secretion during DMBA treatment (30 days before, during and 30 days after) (series 1) or commencing 30 days after DMBA treatment (for 60-81 days) (series 2) significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced the number of mammary carcinomas in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with 20 and 5 mg DMBA and in Lewis rats (series 2); treatment with CB-154 did not significantly lower mammary carcinoma incidence in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with 1.25 mg DMBA, nor in Lewis rats (series 1), Long-Evans rats and Balb/c mice. These results provide evidence that the effectiveness of prolactin suppression in the prophylaxis of chemical carcinogenesis of the rodent mammary gland is enhanced when a moderate or large dose of the carcinogen is used, or a strain of rodent is used which is moderately or highly susceptible to the mammary oncogenic effects of the carcinogen. Low doses of the carcinogen or use of a rodent strain relatively resistant to the carcinogen nullifies the chemopreventive activities of early prolactin suppression.

Renal excretion of cimetidine

The renal excretion and certain pharmacokinetic properties of cimetidine were studied in anesthetized rats undergoing moderate osmotic diuresis. When cimetidine concentrations in plasma (Pcim) were low, ca. 2 micrograms/ml, the clearance of cimetidine (Ccim) was 2.64-fold greater than the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Ccim was lower at higher concentrations, e.g., at ca. 200 micrograms/ml, Ccim/GFR was 1.24. When animals with low Pcim were alkalotic (bicarbonate infusion), Ccim/GFR was 1.82 (different from control, P less than 0.01). In nonalkalotic animals, Ccim/GFR was not influenced by changes in urine flow rate. High levels of Pcim completely blocked net secretion of the cation, tetraethylammonium ion, but did not inhibit the secretion of the anion p-aminohippurate. The half-time of cimetidine in plasma was 43 to 49 min. The apparent volume of distribution was 3.6-fold greater than estimated total body water. We conclude that cimetidine is secreted by the renal organic cation transport mechanism and that it probably undergoes passive reabsorption (nonionic diffusion) to a modest extent when the urine is alkaline. The relatively long half-life of the drug in the body, despite its very high renal clearance, is attributable to the large volume of distribution.

Reaginic hypersensitivity in Otodectes cynotis infestation of cats and mode of mite feeding

Otodectes cynotis infestations were induced in barrier-reared mite-free cats. By monitoring the infested cats, sequence of humoral and cellular immune reactions to the mites was determined. Delayed hypersensitivity was not demonstrated in vivo, using intradermal skin tests. Reaginic (immunoglobulin E) antibodies, as detected by 72-hour passive cutaneous anaphylaxic reactions, were the earliest form of immune expression. Precipitating antibodies developed later in the course of the experimental infestation. Hematologic indices, including eosinophil counts, were not affected by established infestations. Antibodies prepared against feline whole blood, lymph, epithelium, and RBC indicated that these regularly occurred in extracts prepared from whole mites. It was concluded, therefore, that the feeding mode of mites required that they ingest feline tissue fluids. This mode is the interface by which the host becomes exposed to, and immunized against, mite antigens.

A micropuncture study of urate excretion by Cebus monkeys employing high performance liquid chromatography with amperometric detection of urate

Net renal reabsorption of endogenous urate was studied by the micropuncture technique in Cebus monkeys in the absence of osmotic diuresis. Most of filtered urate (more than 70%) was reabsorbed in the proximal convoluted tubules. Samples from early distal tubules contained 9% of filtered urate; approximately 18% being reabsorbed between the late proximal and early distal segments. There was no detectable reabsorption along the distal tubule. Fractional delivery of urate to late distal tubules was greater than fractional excretion, implying reabsorption of some 4% of filtered urate in the collecting system. However, we cannot exclude nephron heterogeneity as the cause of the difference. The foregoing results were obtained using the method of Pachla and Kissinger for the determination of urate. Urate is separated by high performance liquid chromatography and detected by an amperometric technique. We found the method to be sufficiently sensitive, precise and specific for renal micropuncture samples.

Salicylate excretion in the rat; free flow micropuncture experiments

As in other animals, the renal clearance of salicylate in the rat is greater when the urine is alkaline than when it is acid. In none of the present experiments was the rate of salicylate excretion greater than the rate of its glomerular filtration. Nevertheless, net secretion of salicylate was observed in the proximal tubules of alkalotic, nonalkalotic diuretic, and normal hydropenic animals when the plasma concentration of salicylate was below 150 microgram/ml. Alkalosis enhanced the salicylate content of proximal tubular fluid (approximately 30%). The enhancement is less than would be expected from published reports of proximal tubular fluid pH, if non-ionized salicylate were the only permeant form of the drug. In the absence of alkalosis and at high plasma concentrations, net reabsorption in the proximal tubule was observed. In some circumstances there is net reabsorption of salicylate between the end of the accessible portion of the proximal tubule and the beginning of the distal. Salicylate is reabsorbed from the distal tubule. There was only a small difference in distal reabsorptive rate between normal and alkalotic animals.

Literacy skills of long-term hospitalized mental patients

The authors tested 48 patients who had lived in a state psychiatric hospital for extended periods to determine their literacy levels. Measures used were the reading test portion of the Adult Basic Learning Examination (ABLE) and selected questions from the Adult Performance Level (APL) test, which attempts to assess competencies necessary to function effectively in society. Nearly half of the patients scored at the fourth-grade level or below on the ABLE, and their scores on the APL were well below norms for other groups. No correlation was found between number of years of hospitalization and test performance. From the findings the authors conclude that both in-hospital and aftercare programs must recognize that literacy level is an important factor in the the rehabilitation or recidivism of patients.

The role of vaccinia virus in the evolution of some human hemopathies

Six cases of severe hemopathy, detected following smallpox revaccination are described. Their onset was favoured by vaccinia virus-induced suppression of cell-mediated and humoral immunity. In two leukemia patients humoral immunity was present, but insufficient to assure protection of the diseased organisms, the outcome being fatal. The pancytopenia syndrome recorded in 4 patients with anergy caused by autoimmune mechanisms had different outcomes: favourable in 2 cases and fatal in the other 2 patients, who died within 4 years.

Effect of mutant host RNA polymerase on the bifunctional activities of P22 gene c1

The product of phage P22 gene c1 has two functions: (1) it promotes synthesis of repressor and (2) during the first minutes of infection it retards expression of some lytic genes. We call the second, negative function "c1 retardation". We investigated c1 retardation in a mutant host of Salmonella typhimurium that is resistant to rifampicin and carries an altered RNA polymerase. No c1 retardation of DNA synthesis was detectable in this host after infection with wild-type phages. This elimination of the normally detectable c1 function leads to the conclusion that the mutant RNA polymerase interferes with the expression of c1 gene activity. Wild-type genes form clear plaques on the mutant host. Mutants of P22 called cly were isolated by others. These mutants form turbid plaques on the altered RNA polymerase host. Infections with P22 cly in the mutant host resulted in detectable c1 retardation. The cly mutation therefore restores c1 activity in a host which wild-type c1 is not expressed. Two spontaneous mutants were isolated from the mutant host. These two strains allowed partial expression of c1 retardation, although they remained rifampicin resistant. We interpret our data to indicate that expression of the normal functions of the gene c1 product requires an interaction of that product with the host RNA polymerase.

Isolation of 15-alpha-hydroxy-oestriol from pregnancy urine and from the urine of newborn infants

From the extracts of enzyme- or acid hydrolysed pregnancy urine and urine of newborn infants a new oestrogen metabolite has been isolated. On the basis of the physical and chemical characteristics of this compound it is concluded that it is identical with 15α-hydroxy-oestriol (oestra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,15α,16α,17β-tetrol).