[Veterinary dentistry (5). Instruments for extractions in pets]

The increasing dental care of companion animals requires good instruments. The instruments needed to perform extractions well are described in this article. Research into the use of the most appropriate (used in humans) instruments has led to the establishment of a set of instruments for use for simple and complicated extractions in dogs and cats.

Amoxicillin-clavulanate prophylaxis against wound infections after clean-contaminated surgery. A controlled, randomized, prospective study

In a single-blind, prospective randomized and controlled trial, amoxicillin-clavulanate was compared with gentamicin plus clindamycin as perioperative prophylaxis for 24 hours in clean-contaminated abdominal surgery. Proven infections of the abdominal incision occurred in one of 59 evaluable patients given amoxicillin-clavulanate and one of 43 with gentamicin/clindamycin. In the latter group there was also one incisional perineal wound infection. At follow-up enquiry by telephone around postoperative day 30, four patients in the amoxicillin-clavulanate group reported minor wound discharge for which they had not sought medical attention. Intraperitoneal infection occurred in one patient of that group, and in three of the gentamicin/clindamycin group. Both regimens thus were effective and safe as prophylaxis in clean-contaminated abdominal surgery.

Bedside blood gas and electrolyte monitoring in critically ill patients

A major advantage of near-patient testing is time savings that facilitate important diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Recent technologic advances have made available a number of systems that allow for near-patient testing. The reliability of these instruments must be validated in the clinical setting in the hands of their intended users. We evaluated the Gemstat blood gas, electrolyte, and Hct portable analyzer in the critical care setting when used by numerous individuals with no previous laboratory training. Blood gas, Na, K, and Hct results were highly correlated with those from the clinical laboratories (PaO2, r = .96; PaCO2, r = .92, pH, r = .96; Na, r = .93; K, r = .95; Hct, r = .91). The Gemstat represents a new generation of portable, rapid, safe, and accurate instruments that are well suited for ICU settings. The instrument can facilitate clinical management of patients, and may improve patient care.

An evaluation of labeling-then-doing with moderately handicapped persons: acquisition and generalization with complex tasks

We conducted two experiments in which moderately mentally retarded persons were trained first to label and then to enter characters into a computer, calculator, or checkbook (label-then-do) within a multiple baseline design. In Experiment 1, 5 young adults were trained to enter statistical programs into computers in an office setting. Following training, all subjects' use of verbal labels and key-entry skills generalized across tasks (programs) and settings (offices and computer terminals). In Experiment 2, 3 junior high school students were trained with self-labeling procedures to complete a key-entry task and to balance a checkbook. The performance of all students generalized across tasks and settings, and the use of labels generalized for 2 of the students. Results are discussed relative to mediated generalization and to establishing verbal control over behavior.

Identical chromosome translocations involving the region of the c-myb oncogene in four metastases of a mediastinal teratocarcinoma

A 39-year-old white male presented with a disseminated mediastinal teratocarcinoma. Karyotyping was performed on two mature residual metastatic lesions in the lungs immediately following chemotherapy, on a recurring lung lesion after 5 months, and on a metastasis in the right thigh 5 months after salvage chemotherapy. All four lesions were pseudoeuploid and showed identical chromosomal abnormalities: a translocation with the two chromosomes #6 and one chromosome #11 involved, resulting in 46, XY, t (6;6;11) (q21;q23;q13). The breakpoint in chromosome #6 is in the region to which the oncogene c-myb has been localized, and the breakpoint in chromosome #11 is at a known fragile and possibly oncogenic site, suggesting that the translocations in this case may have played a crucial role in the development of the malignancy.

Life span changes in the presence of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating-hormone-containing cells in the human pituitary

Since recent circumstantial evidence has suggested possible functions of alpha-MSH in intrauterine growth and labour, the presence of this hormone in the human pituitary was determined by means of the indirect immunofluorescence procedure during development and adulthood. Cross reaction of the antibodies with other peptides was measured after which they were purified by solid phase absorption. Experiments on the rat pituitary showed that staining of alpha-MSH- and ACTH-containing cells could be obtained well until 48 h after death. In the pars distalis the ability of ACTH-containing cells to take up stain increased during the period of post-mortem storage. In the youngest human fetus studied (15 weeks) only alpha-MSH-containing cells were found in the pars intermedia and no ACTH-containing cells were observed. In the other fetal pituitaries a distinct pars intermedia containing more alpha-MSH cells than ACTH cells was found. In the pars distalis of the fetuses more ACTH- than alpha-MSH-containing cells were observed. From birth to 19 years, progressively fewer alpha-MSH containing cells could be detected in the 'zona intermedia' and pars distalis, while in adults only a few such cells were found in either area. Irrespective of age, sex, cause of death or therapy, alpha-MSH-containing cells were found in all pituitaries throughout life. The number of ACTH containing cells gradually increased in the zona intermedia and pars distalis and reached a high adult level in the latter structure. In the pituitaries of seven anencephalics, no alpha-MSH-containing cells were present. The presence of alpha-MSH in the fetal pars intermedia, the change in the ratio of the alpha-MSH/ACTH cells during the course of development, and the absence of alpha-MSH in anencephaly all support the possibility that human fetal pituitary alpha-MSH is involved in both intrauterine growth and fetal adrenal function and thus also in parturition.

Stimulation of intra-uterine growth in rat by alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone

We have studied whether endogenous alpha-MSH has a function in stimulating intra-uterine growth in the rat. The approach used was to determine whether or not this hormone is present during the intra-uterine growth spurt, and if binding of endogenous foetal alpha-MSH by antibodies would inhibit this growth. Antibodies against alpha-MSH or ACTH 1-24, either purified or non-purified, induced immunofluorescence in the intermediate lobe of adult male control rats. Using purified anti-alpha-MSH, fluorescence appeared in the foetal intermediate lobe on day 18 of pregnancy, the day that biologically active MSH was first seen. A negative correlation was observed between the pituitary MSH content and foetal body weight only on day 19 of pregnancy. Injection of purified anti-alpha-MSH induced a drop in foetal body weight, but no effect on placental weight was observed. Purified anti-acth 1-24 had no effect upon body weight but caused an increase in placental weight. These results support our previous findings and indicate that endogenous MSH has a function in the stimulation of foetal growth.