Screening the foods of an endangered parrot, the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), for oestrogenic activity using a recombinant yeast bioassay.

In recent years the possibility of environmental oestrogens affecting the reproduction of vertebrates has become an issue of both public and scientific interest. Although the significance of such chemicals remains controversial there is clear evidence that, in some contexts, environmental oestrogens can influence the fertility of vertebrates. Highly endangered species represent a situation in which even modest reductions in the fertility of key individuals may have implications for the survival of the entire species. This paper reports the screening of both natural and supplementary foods of the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), a critically endangered New Zealand nocturnal parrot, for oestrogenic activity using a recombinant yeast based bioassay. Low levels of oestrogenic activity were detected in one of the 'chick-raising' foods, but no oestrogenic activity was detected in the adult supplementary foods. The oestrogenicity of a range of phytochemicals possibly associated with the kakapo natural diet was also examined. Two such phytochemicals, podocarpic acid and its reduced derivative podocarpinol, showed weak oestrogenic activity (approximately 10(-6) and 10(-4) of the activity of 17-beta-oestradiol, respectively).

Adverse effects of drugs used in the management of opportunistic infections associated with HIV infection.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is one of the most common AIDS-defining diagnoses. First-line therapy is cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole), despite a high incidence of toxic effects, and a greater incidence of hypersensitivity reactions among HIV-positive patients compared with the seronegative population. Alternative agents such as intravenous pentamidine, or clindamycin with primaquine, and trimethoprim with dapsone, also have a wide range of serious adverse effects, but remain treatment options. Atovaquone appears promising for the treatment of both PCP and toxoplasmosis, and has a lower reported incidence of toxicity than the alternative agents. The most toxic antifungal drugs are reserved for serious infections, such as cryptococcal meningitis. Liposomal amphotericin B has less renal toxicity than standard formulations, and exemplifies that new formulations of existing drugs, although often expensive, may have a better adverse effect profile. There are 2 different drugs currently available for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, ganciclovir and foscarnet. Both have a high incidence of serious adverse effects; ganciclovir mainly causes bone marrow toxicity and foscarnet leads to renal toxicity. The drugs used for mycobacterial infection (including mycobacteria as well as tuberculosis) have a wide range of adverse effects, particularly skin rashes and drug-induced hepatitis. Some of these compounds are quite new, such as rifabutin and clarithromycin, and it is important to be ever vigilant for previously unreported adverse effects.

Analysis of secretions from scent-producing glands of brushtail possum (Trichosorus vulpecula Kerr).

A characterization at a molecular level of the chemical composition of the secretions of the two pairs of paracloacal glands and of the sternal sebum of the brushtail possum (Trichosorus vulpecula Kerr) has been undertaken with a view to evaluating the potential of volatile "pheromone" components as species-specific attractants for use in novel baiting systems. Particular attention has been given to the respective fatty acid fractions produced by chemical hydrolysis, since these are believed to be the products of postemission microbial degradation (fermentation) of the secretions. In all instances, the highly complex distribution of the constituents present in these organic components of the secretions were shown to be virtually identical in adult males and females. A unique suite of low-molecular-weight branched-chain carboxylic acids has been shown to be produced by chemical degradation of the holocrine (oil-secreting) gland secretion. This odor signature is suggested to function as a unique "scenting-the-habitat" pheromone that might act as an attractant to all members of the species.

Volatile nitrosamine levels in rubber teats and pacifiers available in New Zealand.

Samples of rubber baby bottle teats and pacifiers available in New Zealand were analyzed for nitrosamines by HPLC-TEA. These products, which were manufactured in the USA, Singapore, West Germany, England, and Japan contained one to three nitrosamines. All but one product, which was made of synthetic polyisoprene rubber complied with the US Food and Drug Administration regulatory limit of 60 ng/g. The mean level of total nitrosamines in 11 of the 12 products was 34 ng/g with a range from 9-63 ng/g. The twelfth product recorded a level of 190 ng/g total nitrosamines.

Non-linear curve-fitting programs for Phadezyme IgE PRIST using a Hewlett-Packard HP-97 and a Texas Instruments TI-59 with a PC-100A printer.

A non-linear curve-fitting program using a modified Hoerl's function on the Hewlett-Packard HP-97 and Texas Instruments TI-59 programmable calculators for the determination of Phadezaym IgE PRIST (IgE) results is described. Excellent correlation between the reference serum concentration and the curve fit concentration results were obtained. The equation used in the curve fit is ln y = A + B ln x + CxD, where A, B, C and an accuracy of fit term R are calculated by the program. The value of D must be specified by the user before the curve fit is performed.

Eucalyptus oils in larvae of gum emperor moth,Antheraea eucalypti.

The ether-soluble portion of the foregut fluid from the larvae ofAntheraea eucalypti (Saturniidae) was found to contain traces (0.1-0.2%) of isoprenoids. The isoprenoids were those that were major components of the oils from the leaves of theEucalyptus species on which the larvae fed and were also soluble in the foregut fluid. This observation demonstrated that these larvae did not sequester the leaf oils in their foregut or use them for defense. The compositions of the oils, which were steam-distilled from the bodies and feces of the larvae, were identical with those of the oils from the leaves of the host trees. This fact implied that the volatile components of the leaf oils had not been metabolized and had no effect on the growth or feeding of the larvae, at least on the twoEucalyptus species examined. In order to explain the coevolution ofA. eucalypti andEucalyptus species, components of the leaf oils were suggested to serve the function of an ovipositional attractant to the female moths.