Prostaglandin (PTG) E and F receptors in the porcine corpus luteum; effect of tumor necrosis factor-α.

The porcine corpus luteum (CL) is NOT sensitive to the luteolytic effects of PGF-2α until days 12-13 of cycle. The control of "luteolytic sensitivity" (LS) of the pig CL to PGF-2α is unknown, but it is temporally associated with macrophage infiltration into the CL. Since macrophages are the predominant source of TNF-α in the porcine CL, in other studies we examined the effects of TNF-α on porcine luteal cells in culture and showed that TNF-α induces LS in vitro. In Experiment 1 of this study possible mechanisms involved in the control of LS were examined, and involved measurement of the protein levels of PTGER2/EP-2, and PTGER3/EP-3 in porcine CL collected before (days 7-10), versus after (day 13), the onset of the LS. In Experiment 2, an examination of potential mechanisms involved in the control of LS by TNF-α, was carried out in which the effects of TNF-α on mRNA and protein expression of EP-2, EP-3 and FP in cultured luteal cells, were examined. The results of Experiment 1 showed that PTGER-3/EP-3 (but not PTGER-2/EP-2) levels decreased in porcine CLs after (day 13) compared to before (day 7-10) LS. In Experiment 2, the data obtained showed that TNF-α decreased PTGER-3/EP-3 and increased PTGFR/FP protein (in EARLY stage CL). In conclusion, these studies suggest a role for PTGER-3/EP-3 in the acquisition of LS, and support the hypothesis that TNF-α from CL macrophages plays a critical role in the control of LS in the porcine CL, by increasing PTGFR/FP, and decreasing PTGER-3/EP-3 protein.

Ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions from housed Holstein steers fed different levels of diet crude protein.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of diet CP levels on nitrous oxide (N2O), ammonia (NH3), and methane (CH4) emissions from 1) cattle housed in confined settings and 2) cattle manure following surface application to incubated soils. Twelve 500-kg Holstein steers were fed diets containing 10% CP (10CP) and 13% CP (13CP). The experimental design was a 2 × 2 Latin square conducted during two 20-d periods. Diets were fed for 14 d before each measurement period to allow for diet acclimation. Steers were housed in environmentally controlled rooms allowing for continuous emission measures of N2O, NH3, and CH4. At the end of the second period, manure was collected and surface applied to incubated soils to verify potential NH3 and N2O emissions. To assess emissions from incubated soils, 2 experiments were set up with 3 replicates each: Exp. 1, in which soil fertilization was based on manure mass (496 g of manure), and Exp. 2, in which soil fertilization was based on manure N content (targeted at 170 kg N/ha). Manure emissions were monitored for 7 d. Steers fed 13CP diets had increased daily NH3 emissions when compared to steers fed 10CP diets (32.36 vs. 11.82 ± 1.10 g NH3/d, respectively; P < 0.01). Daily N2O emissions from steers fed 13CP and 10CP diets were significantly different only during Period 1 (0.82 vs. 0.31 ± 0.24 g N2O/d; P = 0.04). Steers fed the 10CP diet had greater N2O emissions per unit of N consumed than steers fed the 13CP diet (9.73 vs. 4.26 ± 1.71 mg N2O/g N intake; P = 0.01). Diet CP levels did not affect enteric CH4 production from steers. In terms of soil emissions, different CP levels did not affect NH3, N2O, or CH4 emissions when soil fertilization was based on manure mass. However, NH3 emissions were reduced when manure from steers fed the 10CP diet was applied to soil based on N content. Ammonia emissions decreased during the 7-d incubation period. Conversely, N2O emissions increased over the period. Our results indicated that management of diet CP levels of confined finishing steers mitigates NH3 emissions from steers but does not affect enteric CH4. In addition, results suggested that soil characteristics might be as important as manure N content to generate NH3 and greenhouse gases from soils receiving manure fertilization.

Side effect profile of 5-HT treatments for Parkinson's disease and L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) with L-DOPA eventually causes abnormal involuntary movements known as dyskinesias in most patients. Dyskinesia can be reduced using compounds that act as direct or indirect agonists of the 5-HT1 A receptor, but these drugs have been reported to worsen PD features and are known to produce '5-HT syndrome', symptoms of which include tremor, myoclonus, rigidity and hyper-reflexia. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Sprague-Dawley rats were given unilateral nigrostriatal dopamine lesions with 6-hydroxydopamine. Each of the following three purportedly anti-dyskinetic 5-HT compounds were administered 15 min before L-DOPA: the full 5-HT1 A agonist ±-8-hydroxy-2-dipropylaminotetralin (±8-OH-DPAT), the partial 5-HT1 A agonist buspirone or the 5-HT transporter inhibitor citalopram. After these injections, animals were monitored for dyskinesia, 5-HT syndrome, motor activity and PD akinesia. KEY RESULTS: Each 5-HT drug dose-dependently reduced dyskinesia by relatively equal amounts (±8-OH-DPAT ≥ citalopram ≥ buspirone), but 5-HT syndrome was higher with ±8-OH-DPAT, lower with buspirone and not present with citalopram. Importantly, with or without L-DOPA, all three compounds provided an additional improvement of PD akinesia. All drugs tempered the locomotor response to L-DOPA suggesting dyskinesia reduction, but vertical rearing was reduced with 5-HT drugs, potentially reflecting features of 5-HT syndrome. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results suggest that compounds that indirectly facilitate 5-HT1 A receptor activation, such as citalopram, may be more effective therapeutics than direct 5-HT1 A receptor agonists because they exhibit similar anti-dyskinesia efficacy, while possessing a reduced side effect profile.

The incremental validity of lumbar surface EMG, behavioral observation, and a symptom checklist in the assessment of patients with chronic low-back pain.

This study evaluated the comparative ability of lumbar surface EMG, behavioral observation, and a symptom checklist to correctly classify three groups of participants, (1) 18 patients with chronic low-back pain (CLBP), demonstrating excessive and/or anatomically inconsistent motor, sensory, and tenderness responses during a neurological examination, (2) 33 patients with CLBP exhibiting few or no inconsistent responses, and (3) 30 healthy matched controls. Discriminant analyses were used to develop predictive models. Correct classification rates for the individual assessments and all combinations of assessments were contrasted. Each modality predicted group membership significantly better than weighted chance (23%), with the symptom checklist approach having the highest individual correct classification rate (64%). The best combination of modalities was the symptom checklist and lumbar surface EMG (70% correct classification rate). The sensitivity and specificity of the individual assessments and all combinations of assessments are also presented.

[Treatment of aneurysm of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery associated with celiac axis occlusion]. / Trattamento di un aneurisma dell'arteria pancreaticoduodenale inferiore associato ad ostruzione del tronco celiaco.

A case of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm, associated with occlusion of the celiac axis is reported. The aneurysm seemed to be related to a high-flow state secondary to the associated occlusion of the celiac axis. The occlusion was typical of the atheromatous disease. The aneurysm was atherosclerotic in origin and was treated with resection and PTFE patching. Eighty months later an angiogram was performed, demonstrating a normal patency of the pancreaticoduodenal arcades. The treatment of these aneurysms is discussed, and the literature on this uncommon disease is reviewed.

Ischemia: reperfusion syndrome of the lower limbs.

The ischemia-reperfusion syndrome, first described by Haimovici in 1960, is a severe complication following surgery for acute ischemia. We evaluated the incidence of this complication in 264 patients operated on between 1972 and 1981 (1st group) and compared it with another of 392 patients operated on between 1982 and 1991 (2nd group), our aim being to assess the effects of pharmacological prophyiaxis based on preoperative overhydration followed by an intra-arterial bolus of 250 ml 14/1000 HCO3-, containing 1 g dexamethasone and 2500 I.U. sodium heparin, injected into the femoral artery before suturing the arteriotomy. This regimen was based on the measurement of myoglobin and glutathione levels respectively carried out in two subgroups of 25 patients. The results of experimental ischemia-reperfusion syndromes induced in animal using radical scavengers and membrane-protective compounds were also taken into consideration. Following experimental research on sheep, 5 patients in the second group with very severe ischemia due to aortic occlusion received local dialysis in the extracorporeal circulation using hemodialysis or hemofiltration techniques. Mortality was 6.3% in the first group and 5.4% in the second, while the amputation rate was 3% and 1.8% respectively. The overall incidence of the reperfusion syndrome was 3% in the 1st period and 1.8% in the second. Our findings confirm the protective effect of hyper-hydration, radical scavengers and dexamethasone in the ischemia reperfusion syndrome, and indicate that local hemodialysis is a useful adjunct in very severe ischemia.

[Problems of indications for the treatment of aneurysm of the visceral arteries]. / Problemi d'indicazione al trattamento degli aneurismi delle arterie viscerali.

The authors report the clinical history and the treatment of 5 patients with visceral artery aneurysms. The celiac trunk, the common hepatic artery, the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery and the splenic artery (in 2 different patients) were affected by the aneurysmal disease. Various techniques have been employed in the successful treatment of these patients: radiological embolization of the celiac trunk aneurysms, Dacron graft reconstruction of the common hepatic artery aneurysm, endosaccular ligature and PTFE patching of the inferior pancreatico-duodenal artery aneurysm, endosaccular ligature in one of the two splenic artery aneurysm and simple ligature and splenectomy in the remainder splenic artery aneurysm. Early diagnosis is important in these lesions, because of the trend toward rupture and subsequent high mortality rate. Ultrasonography (US), Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) are very helpful as diagnostic tools, however angiography represents the method of choice since it could be the first step of the embolization treatment. Furthermore angiography is useful for detection of associated visceral lesions and for the study of collateral blood supply. Treatment choice depends on visceral artery aneurysms localization, the presence of associate lesions and the possible general contraindications. In the latter case, radiological embolization could be the first-choice treatment.

Assessment of lumbar EMG during static and dynamic activity in pain-free normals: implications for muscle scanning protocols.

The purpose of this study was to provide a thorough description of lumbar surface integrated electromyography (EMG) in pain-free normals during a standardized assessment protocol of static isometric and unresisted dynamic tasks. It has been proposed that in pain-free normals, symmetrical tasks that bend the trunk forward or extend the trunk backward produce symmetrical paraspinal EMG activity, and asymmetrical tasks that rotate or laterally bend the trunk produce asymmetrical paraspinal EMG activity. In addition, it has been observed that lumbar EMG assessment during static tasks has been more consistent than tasks involving dynamic activities. Twenty-eight pain-free normals were assessed during symmetrical and asymmetrical tasks in both static and dynamic activities in a counterbalanced manner. The assessment of paraspinal EMG patterns was conducted while subjects were secured in a triaxial dynamometer, which provided standardization of body position and concurrent measurement of torque, range of motion, and velocity. The results provided experimental evidence for the above-stated propositions. An implication derived from this research is that clinicians may be better served utilizing local norms when using EMG for classification purposes.

[The functional effect of internal carotid TEA on ocular hemodynamics]. / Función de la TEA de carótida interna sobre la hemodinámica ocular.

Fifteen patients with a stenosis of the internal carotid artery superior than a 70% were studied in order to analyze the effects of TEA on the ocular hemodynamics. Analysis was made by ophthalmodynamography and electrofunctional studies. An improvement of the ocular hemodynamics was found, particularly by ophthalmodynamography and visual evoked potentials.

Eosinophilic meningitis beyond the Pacific Basin: the global dispersal of a peridomestic zoonosis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the nematode lungworm of rats.

The principal etiologic agent of human eosinophilic meningitis, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, was first detected in rats in Canton, China in 1933. The first human case was detected on Taiwan in 1944. Epidemic outbreaks were noted on Ponape (E. Caroline Is.) from 1944 to 1948. The disease may present as transient meningitis or a more severe disease involving the brain, spinal cord and nerve roots, with a characteristic eosinophilia of the peripheral blood and CSF. Since 1961 it has been known that human infections are usually acquired by purposeful or accidental ingestion of infective larvae in terrestrial mollusks, planaria and fresh-water crustacea. There is no effective specific treatment. The African land snail, Achatina fulica played an important role in the panpacific dispersal of the organism: it will be important in Africa in the future as well. Rats were, and will continue to be the principal agents of expansion of the parasite beyond the Indopacific area. During and just after WWII the parasite was introduced, and/or spread passively from South and Southeast Asia into the Western Pacific islands and eastward and southward through Micronesia, Melanesia, Australia and into Polynesia, sequestered in shipments of war material and facilitated by post-war commerce. In the 1950s numerous cases were identified for the first time on Sumatra, the Philippines, Taiwan, Saipan, New Caledonia, and as far east as Rarotonga and Tahiti. Then cases were detected in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Java, Sarawak, the New Hebrides, Guam and Hawaii during the 1960s. Subsequently in the Pacific Basin the disease has appeared on Okinawa, other Ryukyu islands, Honshu, Kyushu, New Britain, American Samoa and Western Samoa, Australia, Hong Kong, Bombay, India, Fiji and most recently in mainland China. The parasite in rats now occurs throughout the Indopacific Basin and littoral. Beyond the Indopacific region, the worm has been found in rodents in Madagascar (ca 1963), Cuba (1973), Egypt (1977), Puerto Rico (1984), New Orleans, Louisiana (1985) and Port Harcourt, Nigeria (1989). Human infections have now been detected in Cuba (1973), Réunion Island (1974) and Côte d'Ivoire (1979) and should be anticipated wherever infected rats of mollusks have been introduced. Caged primates became infected in zoos in Hong Kong (1978) and New Orleans and Nassau, Bahamas (1987). The use of mollusks and crustacea as famine foods, favored delicacies and medicines has resulted in numerous outbreaks and isolated infections. Economic and political instability, illicit trade, unsanitary peridomestic conditions and lack of health education promote the local occurrence and insidious global expansion of parasitic eosinophilic meningitis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Ovarian histopathology of bitches immunized with porcine zonae pellucidae.

The ovarian histopathology of bitches immunized with crude (cPZP) or partially purified (pPZP) porcine zona pellucida proteins was examined in order to determine the cause of abnormal estrous cycles. The majority of immunized bitches had ovarian cytes. Those immunized with cPZP had follicular cysts lined with a thin layer of granulosa cells, while in those immunized with pPZP, the cysts were lined by a basement membrane with a clump of luteinized cells. In two bitches immunized with cPZP, oocytes were present only in primordial follicles. Similar abnormalities were not found in a bitch immunized with human serum albumin or in 12 untreated bitches. Oocytes flushed from the oviducts of mated, immunized bitches were degenerating, which may have been a primary cause of infertility in such bitches. Ovaries studied 2-6 weeks after immunization showed no loss of gap junctional communication between oocytes and granulosa cells, nor was any inflammatory reaction seen. IgG was bound to the zona as revealed by fluoresceinated protein A staining of frozen sections of those ovaries. Abnormal estrous cycles in PZP-immunized bitches appear to result from follicular dysgenesis or cyst formation, but the etiology of these conditions is unresolved.

Neurovirulence detection of dengue virus using rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys.

The results of a comparative study of neurovirulence of dengue type 1 virus in two species of Old World monkeys, viz. rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) are reported. In the present study, parental dengue type 1 (16007) and its vaccine viruses were tested by intrathalamic, intramuscular and intraspinal injections in these two species of monkey. Both species of monkeys inoculated with parental dengue type 1 virus developed neurovirulence-type lesions which were graded as minimal (V-1) and occasionally mild (V-2, in cynomolgus monkeys) in severity. The antibody response to either parental or vaccine virus was slightly less in rhesus monkeys than in cynomolgus inoculated with these strains. This comparative study possibly establishes the cynomolgus monkey as a suitable test model to replace the rhesus monkey for neurovirulence testing of dengue-1 vaccine intended for use in humans.

Saliva as a source of feline leukemia virus antigen for diagnosis of disease.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) p27 in saliva was tested for its accuracy and sensitivity in diagnosing FeLV infections. Saliva and serum samples from 564 clinical cases were tested with a 99.2% specificity. The overall accuracy of the saliva ELISA reactive to the serum ELISA was 97.9%. Experimentally, the ELISA saliva was the least sensitive in diagnosing early FeLV infections. However, the overall accuracy, ease of use, and simplicity of the test support its use as a screening procedure in clinical practice.

Neurovirulence effects of dengue-2 viruses on the rhesus (Macaca mulatta) brain and spinal cord.

Vaccines prepared from attenuated virus can cause symptomatic viral infection of the central nervous system. In the present study, dengue-2 parental and its live attenuated viruses were tested by intrathalamic and intraspinal injections in rhesus monkeys. The dengue-2 viruses were found to be only very weakly neurovirulent when injected directly into the brain or spinal cord of rhesus monkeys.

Selection of attenuated dengue 4 viruses by serial passage in primary kidney cells. I. Attributes of uncloned virus at different passage levels.

Attempts were made to attenuate prototype dengue (DEN) 4 (H-241) virus. The original viremic human serum was passed once in a susceptible monkey and twice in Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and then serially passed in primary dog kidney (PDK) and African green monkey kidney (GMK) cells. Weekly transfers of undiluted virus were carried to the 50th passage in both primary cell cultures. Biological markers were studied at passages 7, 15, 30 and 50. Parental DEN-4 phenotype characteristics included large plaque formation in LLC-MK2 cells, plaque formation in GMK cells, cytopathic effect in LLC-MK2 cells, growth in human monocyte cultures, growth at 39 degrees C, consistent production of viremia in monkeys and short-incubation neurovirulence in mice. At the seventh passage in both PDK and GMK cell cultures, DEN-4 viruses exhibited reduced plaque-size in LLC-MK2, and failed to plaque in GMK, to produce cytopathic effect in LLC-MK2, or to grow in human monocytes. Serial passage in PDK, as opposed to GMK, resulted in a graduated loss of monkey virulence. Rhesus monkeys inoculated with the PDK 50 strain failed to develop detectable viremia and only 1 of 4 developed an antibody response. Also, replication of PDK 50 was completely shut-off at 39 degrees C. The graduated change in biological properties noted, particularly those in PDK cells, provide a range of potential vaccine candidates for evaluation in human beings.

Selection of attenuated dengue 4 viruses by serial passage in primary kidney cells. II. Attributes of virus cloned at different dog kidney passage levels.

Uncloned dengue (DEN) 4 (H-241) which had been passaged 15, 30 and 50 times in primary dog kidney (PDK) cells were subjected to two successive terminal dilution procedures. In the first (3Cl), virus was diluted in 10-fold steps in 10 replicate tubes. An infected tube from a dilution row with three or fewer virus-infected tubes was selected for two further passages. In the second (TD3), virus was triple terminal diluted using 2-fold dilution steps and selecting one positive tube out of 10. Both procedures selected virus population which differed from antecedents. Plaque size of PDK 15 was medium, PDK 30, small and PDK 50, pin-point. PDK 19-3Cl were medium and 56-3Cl, 24-TD3, 35-TD3 and 61-TD3 were all small. All cloned virus replication was completely shut-off at 38.5 degrees C; PDK 15 and 30 continued to replicate at this temperature. Uncloned viruses showed a graduated decrease in monkey virulence with PDK passage; cloned viruses were either avirulent for monkeys (19-3Cl, 56-31Cl, 24-TD3 and 35-TD3) or produced revertant large plaque parental-type viremia (35-3Cl and 61-TD3). Those cloned viruses which exhibited temperature sensitivity, reduced monkey virulence and stability after monkey passage may be suitable as vaccine candidates for evaluation in human beings.