Urethral obstruction in a dog: an unusual presentation of T-cell lymphoma.

A six-year-old, neutered male golden retriever was presented for evaluation of stranguria. Upon physical examination, the dog was thin and actively was straining to urinate. A large, firm bladder was palpated. Urethral pressure profilometry was indicative of a focal, nondistensible lesion in the midurethra which was confirmed with a positive contrast urethrogram. Ultrasonographically, a well-marginated tubular mass was visualized midurethra, and a region of small bowel was noted to have an annular mural thickening with corrugations of the mucosal surface. The abnormal areas were aspirated percutaneously, and lymphoma was diagnosed upon cytological examination of the aspirated material. At necropsy, a diagnosis of diffuse T-cell lymphoma was confirmed.

Perinatal mortality rates: Holland versus the Hunter Valley.

A public comment to the effect that Holland has a superior perinatal mortality rate to that in Australia prompted an analysis of this proposition. In the region of Newcastle and The Hunter Valley of New South Wales, detailed information on perinatal mortality over a 5-year period (1983-1987) was available. The data suggest that the perinatal mortality rate in this region is, in fact, superior to that in Holland. The definition of perinatal mortality differs greatly between the 2 countries; and this fact, perhaps unappreciated, might lead to the superficial perception that Holland's perinatal mortality rate is superior to our own.

Auxin induced stress tolerance in algae.

IAA effect on responses of West African algae Caloglosa, Bostrychia, Rhizoclonium and the fresh water alga Pithophora to different growth conditions was examined in growth chamber experiments. The auxin (2.28 x 10(-5) M) caused growth increase of 2.3- and 2.6-fold in Caloglossa and 1.6 and 1.7 in Rhizoclonium, respectively, in sea water and 1:1 diluted sea water/Erdschreiber medium. In Bostrychia pronounced deterioration of growth was noticed in the control samples between 16 and 32 days in culture. The cultures maintained an active growth, however, in the presence of IAA. IAA also allowed Pithophora to withstand salinity: Compared to growth in fresh water, a 65% growth inhibition was recorded in 1:1 diluted sea water in the absence of auxin and a slight growth stimulation when the auxin was present. Pithophora and Rhizoclonium also maintained higher rates of growth in extremal temperatures of 10 and 45 degrees C when the auxin was present.

Under reporting of perinatal mortality.

A detailed analysis of perinatal deaths in 5 maternity hospitals in the Hunter Valley of N.S.W. was performed over a 2-year period to ascertain whether all such deaths were officially certified. There were 138 perinatal deaths identified, but of these, only 131 were registered with a medical certificate. The 7 cases not certified were all just past the borderline of the official N.S.W. definition, where a late abortion is distinguished from a stillbirth. This suggests that there is a small but significant degree of underreporting of such cases, which in turn marginally reduces the official N.S.W. perinatal mortality rate.

Vaginal delivery after 3 previous caesarean sections.

A patient who had had 3 previous Caesarean sections was permitted a trial of scar in her subsequent confinement. Labour occurred spontaneously at 39 weeks, and was closely monitored. After an uneventful labour of 3 1/2 hours, a Wrigley forceps lift-out was performed. There was no maternal or neonatal morbidity and the uterine scar was intact.

Clinical aspects of phencyclidine (PCP).

The authors provide a comprehensive review of the current phencylidine literature in exploring the history, clinical effects, diagnostic criteria, and treatment of PCP abuse. Seventy-one references are cited.

Attributional styles of alcoholics.

This study found that alcoholics in treatment differed significantly from nonalcoholics and recovering alcoholics who had completed at least 1 year of sobriety on 2 subscales of the Attributional Style Questionnaire: on the good outcomes-global and good outcomes-stable. Implications for further research and treatment are discussed.

Analysis of fetal heart rate on-line at 32 weeks gestation.

Antenatal fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns were screened in 634 women with singleton pregnancies at 32 weeks gestation using a microprocessor on-line. The duration of the record was adjusted according to its character, varying from 10 min with high FHR variation (39% of records) to 45 min with low variation (4.7%). The average duration was 16.7 min. Of the 30 fetuses with the lowest FHR variation (less than 5th centile), 19 (63%) had a normal outcome. Of the 11 with an abnormal outcome five were born greater than or equal to 38 weeks; six were born by caesarean section at 32-34 weeks, resulting in an increased incidence in the group. Analysis of the numbers of accelerations, of decelerations, of episodes of high FHR variation or of fetal movements did not improve long-term prediction. It was concluded first, that antenatal FHR monitoring for up to 45 min at 32 weeks gestation had no long-term predictive value; and second, that 3% of our obstetric population have unreactive FHR traces at this age, with a normal outcome. This does not imply that consecutive antenatal records on the same high-risk patient at short intervals are not valuable clinically.

A quantitative fluorometric assay for the measurement of antibody to Pasteurella haemolytica in cattle.

A rapid, simple fluorometric method is described for measuring antibody to Pasteurella haemolytica in sera of cattle. Various antigen preparations were compared for the test including live, formalin-killed and phenol-killed P. haemolytica. A preparation composed of formalin-killed organisms from a 22 hour culture gave consistent results and was used in the studies. The test was reproduciable with percent coefficients of variation for fluorescent signal unit values on ten or more replicate samples ranging from 5.7 to 28.0. Sera from calves vaccinated by aerosol exposure to live P. haemolytica had up to a five-fold increase in antibody titer as measured by the flurometric method test during a 21 day period. Fluorometric method titers were comparable to those obtained by the indirect bacterial agglutination test. There was no seroconversion to P. haemolytica in calves vaccinated by aerosol exposure of P. multocida. The major advantages of the fluorometric method test over conventional methods are that the assay does not require serial dilutions of serum samples and thus limits time and effort to determine antibody titers.

Female pseudohermaphroditism in conjoined twins. Case report.

A case of female pseudohermaphroditism in ischiopagus conjoined twins is presented and discussed.

OBSERVATIONS ON WATER LOSS OF SEAWEEDS IN RELATION TO MICROCLIMATE ON A TROPICAL SHORE (GHANA)(1).

During a 24-hr period (12-13 April, 1966) continuous records of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, salt spray, and evaporative power of the air were made at Nungua beach, Ghana. Water loss from emersed plants of Sargassum vulgare, Bryocladia thyrsigera, and Ulva fasciata was measured during the same period. The daily march of desiccation in these seaweeds follows the curve for evaporative power of the air. At night the 3 species lose relatively little water and very nearly the same percentage in each case. During the day Ulva is most resistant to water loss, Bryocladia next, and Sargassum is least resistant. This behavior is correlated with the upper limits of the zones they occupy on the shore.