Remission of intractable partial epilepsy following implantation of intracranial electrodes.

Six patients with medically intractable partial epilepsy (IPE) underwent seizure localization with intracranial EEG using intracerebral or subdural electrodes. No surgical resection was performed, but all had seizure remission ranging from 11 months to 15 years. Invasive monitoring may rarely produce remission of IPE, possibly through interruption of seizure propagation pathways.

Relationship of increased fowl cholera outbreaks in turkeys with high environmental temperatures.

The relationship of an increase in fowl cholera outbreaks in turkeys with an increase in environmental temperatures during June, July, August, and September between 1959 and 1992 was analyzed. High environmental temperatures were found to be influential in the development of fowl cholera in turkeys. When the average monthly maximum environmental temperatures for 5 mo of July and 7 mo of August during the 13 yr between 1967 and 1979 were above 30.5 C, there was a significantly (P < 0.05) higher number of fowl cholera outbreaks in turkeys for each month than during the same months when the average maximum temperatures were below 30.5 C. To test the hypothesis that an increase in fowl cholera outbreaks was preceded by an increase in temperature, the pre- and postoutbreak temperatures for 46 selected outbreak clusters occurring between 1959 and 1992 were averaged. Both the average maximum and minimum temperatures for the latter 9 days of the preoutbreak period were highly significantly (P < 0.001) higher than those of the average cluster outbreak day and the following four postoutbreak days. Also, for the nine individual days of the latter pre-outbreak period, the daily average maximum temperature was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for 3 days and partially significantly (P < 0.10) higher for 3 days than that of the average cluster outbreak day, and the daily average minimum temperature was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for 2 days and partially significantly (P < 0.10) higher for 1 day than that for the average cluster outbreak day.

DNA fingerprint patterns of Pasteurella multocida from the same turkey farm on the same and different years.

The DNA fingerprint profiles of 126 isolants of Pasteurella multocida from 41 turkey farms in Missouri were analyzed after digestion with the restriction endonuclease HhaI and compared with their somatic antigenic type. The goal was to determine if the same isolant of P. multocida was reisolated from the the same farm during the same and consecutive years and after an interval of one or more years. Of the 37 pairs of P. multocida collected during the same year from the same turkey farms, the DNA fingerprint profiles were the same with 26 pairs (70.3%) and different with 11 pairs (29.7%). Of the 33 pairs of P. multocida collected during consecutive years from the same 22 turkey farms, 21 pairs (63.6%) were the same and 12 pairs (36.4%) were different. Of the 15 pairs of P. multocida collected with an interval of one or more years between them from the same 14 turkey farms, only four pairs (26.7%) were the same and 11 pairs (73.3%) were different. There did not appear to be any relationship between the DNA fingerprint profiles and the typing of their somatic antigens because, although 44 pairs of isolants had the same DNA fingerprint profile and somatic antigenic type, 42 pairs differed in these parameters when all pairs were combined.

Increased left lung consolidation in turkey cholera related to larger left pulmonary artery.

After necropsy of the surviving turkeys in a comparative vaccine study for fowl cholera, in the turkeys with only one lung lobe consolidated, a significantly (P < 0.01, chi square test) higher number of turkeys were found with a consolidation of the left lung lobe than with the right lung lobe. When the circumferences of the left and right pulmonary arteries 0.5 cm rostral from the bifurcation were measured and converted to cross-sectional area, the left pulmonary artery had an average area of 29.6 +/- 2.8 mm2, and the right pulmonary artery had an average area of only 22.9 +/- 2.8 mm2, which was nearly one-fourth smaller. This finding suggests that the left lung lobe receives more blood than the right lobe and that, during an acute Pasteurella multocida septicemia, it would receive more of this organism than the right lung lobe.

Differentiating turkey postvaccination isolants of Pasteurella multocida using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction.

The chromosomal DNA of 29 field isolants of Pasteurella multocida from commercial turkey farms in Missouri and the avirulent Clemson University (CU) and M-9 vaccine strains of P. multocida were tested using the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) in combination with 32P-labeled deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP) and high-resolution gel electrophoresis. The 29 field isolants of P. multocida were isolated from outbreaks of fowl cholera in turkey flocks in which vaccination with the CU vaccine had been performed within 2 weeks of the isolation, and it was suspected that the outbreak could have been due to the use of the live CU vaccine. The results of this study showed that: 1) the use of the live CU vaccine can lead to the isolation of the vaccine strain if the outbreak occurs within 2 weeks of vaccination; 2) a higher proportion of field isolants collected during 1983 and 1984, when the usage of the CU vaccine strain was highest on Missouri turkey farms, had PCR-amplified product profiles similar or identical to those of the CU vaccine strain compared with the period between 1987 and 1992, when its use was less; and 3) there was no relationship between the PCR-amplified product profiles and the serotype.

Scanning electron microscopic view of auditory tonsil in turkey.

The auditory tonsil of the turkey was studied by scanning electron microscopy. It is a sizable mass of lymphatic tissue dorsal to the infundibular opening in the auditory tube. The infundibular opening is in the roof of the turkey's mouth, caudal to the nasal cleft, and is the external orifice of the auditory tube that connects with the air spaces of the pneumonic bones in the head. Folds of the auditory tonsil that project toward or into the infundibular opening contained numerous lymphatic nodules in their lamina propria. The epithelial surface of the folds was covered with ciliated and nonciliated columnar cells, goblet cells with microvilli, and ductal openings of mucous glands located in the area. The lymphoid nodules were either oval or round and consisted of a thick reticular network that contained lymphocytes, fibroblasts, and erythrocytes. From some of the lymphatic nodules, there were sinusoids that contained lymphocytes and extended to the epithelial surface, whereas from others there was a lymphocytic infiltration of the surrounding lamina propria.

Comparison of live avirulent PM-1 and CU fowl cholera vaccines in turkeys.

The live avirulent PM-1 Pasteurella multocida vaccine, grown in brain-heart infusion broth, was evaluated and compared in two experiments with the Clemson University (CU) vaccine, which had been shown to be effective in preventing fowl cholera in turkeys. Experiment 1 was performed during warm environmental temperatures and Expt. 2 during cooler environmental temperatures. The PM-1 vaccine was comparable with the CU vaccine in protecting turkeys against challenge with virulent P. multocida but was considered no less virulent than the CU because turkeys died after vaccination with both the PM-1 and the CU vaccines. A significantly (P < 0.05) higher percentage of unvaccinated turkeys challenged during the cooler environmental temperatures died than did unvaccinated turkeys challenged during the warmer temperatures. A microtiter agglutination test demonstrated a significant (P < 0.01) correlation between the level of serum anti-P. multocida antibody found 1 wk after vaccination and survival after challenge with virulent P. multocida in Expt. 1 and a significant (P < 0.05) correlation between these parameters in Expt. 2. However, there was a significant (P < 0.01) negative correlation between serum anti-P. multocida antibody titer 1 wk after vaccination and body weight gained 4 wk after vaccination, but before challenge, in Expt. 1, suggesting that vaccination with the live vaccines may have had a negative effect on body weight gain. At 4 wk after challenge or 8 wk after vaccination in Expt. 2, there was also a highly significant (P < 0.001) negative correlation between these parameters in the surviving turkeys.

Enhanced isolation of Serpulina hyodysenteriae by using sliced agar media.

A method has been developed for separating Serpulina hyodysenteriae, a large spirochete and the causative agent of swine dysentery (SD), from other fecal anaerobic bacteria in rectal and colonic swabs. This was done by cutting the blood agar in parallel cuts and streaking perpendicular to the cuts in the center of the petri dish. Migration of S. hyodysenteriae from the central streak was apparent by the presence of strong beta-hemolysis along the edges of the cuts. If only S. hyodysenteriae migrated in the cut, they migrated to the end of the cut. However, if both motile bacteria and S. hyodysenteriae migrated in the cut, the motile bacteria migrated to the end of the cut where they formed colonies and the S. hyodysenteriae located along the edges of the cut between the colonies of motile bacteria and the central streak. Although motile bacteria were present where S. hyodysenteriae located, the growth of the motile bacteria was partially inhibited since they rarely formed visible colonies and were low in number. The cut in the agar was thought to improve traction for the serpentine movement of the S. hyodysenteriae and for the flagellar movement of the motile bacteria. Use of sliced blood agar was superior to conventionally streaked blood agar in that (i) it was easier to see strong beta-hemolysis on sliced agar; (ii) frequently, a confirmatory diagnosis could be made using only one petri dish with sliced agar, thereby saving time and media; (iii) S. hyodysenteriae could sometimes be isolated free of other bacteria; and (iv) sliced agar was more effective in isolating S. hyodysenteriae from swine with chronic diarrhea and nondiarrhetic carriers of SD in which the shedding of S. hyodysenteriae was low.

Survival of Serpulina hyodysenteriae in an effluent lagoon.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the survival of Serpulina hyodysenteriae in an infected lagoon that received effluent from a confinement building housing swine dysentery-infected swine. DESIGN: Prospective controlled trial. ANIMALS: 48 shedder swine inoculated with S hyodysenteriae and housed in the building drained by the lagoon; 18 clinically normal detector swine confined in a separate building. PROCEDURE: Shedder swine were inoculated with S hyodysenteriae by oral administration of 20 g of diced colon from swine infected with swine dysentery. The lagoon that received effluent from the building housing the shedder swine was assayed for S hyodysenteriae by providing lagoon effluent twice daily for 2 or 4 days to detector swine as their sole source of drinking water and by subsequently examining these swine for signs of swine dysentery. Smears from rectal swab specimens and sometimes fecal specimens were stained for detection of large spirochetes. Fecal and rectal swab specimens and colonic scraping specimens were examined for S hyodysenteriae by anaerobic microbial culture on blood agar containing 400 micrograms of spectinomycin/ml. All shedder swine were necropsied after removal from the confinement building, as were detector swine after developing diarrhea or after 42 days of monitoring. RESULTS: For the first 5 to 6 days after removal of swine dysentery-infected shedder swine from the confinement building, lagoon effluent from the building remained infective. Detector swine, given lagoon effluent as their drinking water for a 2-day period, developed clinical swine dysentery, and S hyodysenteriae was cultured from specimens from these swine. Swine dysentery did not develop in each group of 2 detector pigs given lagoon effluent as their sole source of drinking water on days 7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 through 14, or 15 through 18 after removal of the infected shedder swine. Large spirochetes were not observed on microscopy of stained colonic scraping specimens, and S hyodysenteriae and Salmonella spp were not cultured from specimens from these detector swine after being monitored for 42 days. Serpulina hyodysenteriae or Salmonella spp were not cultured from samples of the lagoon effluent. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Although many factors could influence the survivability of S hyodysenteriae in a lagoon, results suggested that a facility with an open gutter-flush system that housed swine dysentery-infected swine should remain idle for more than 5 to 6 days before repopulating with unexposed swine.

Consumptive coagulopathy in turkeys exposed to Pasteurella multocida.

When turkeys were inoculated intramuscularly with live Pasteurella multocida, three of the four inoculated turkeys developed an increase in modified Russell's viper venom time (mRVVT) 24 hours after inoculation. This increase was followed by irregular decreases and increases in mRVVT at subsequent bleedings. When turkeys were inoculated intravenously with P. multocida, the mRVVT increased markedly after inoculation in all eight inoculated turkeys: 9 hours later, the average mRVVT was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of the uninoculated turkeys. No microthrombi were observed in the blood vessels of the liver, spleen, kidneys, or lungs. An increase in mRVVT was interpreted as an excessive consumption of one or more of clotting factors X, V, II, and I. These results indicate that consumptive coagulopathy could be a factor in the pathogenesis of fowl cholera in turkeys.

Treatment of group E streptococci-induced lymphadenitis in swine by feeding various concentrations of chlortetracycline: relation of antibody with prevalence of abscesses.

Consumption of chlortetracycline (CTC) at concentration of 220 mg/kg of feed for 4 weeks in experiment 1 and at concentrations of 110 and 220 mg/kg for 3 weeks and 440 mg/kg for 2 weeks in experiment 2 failed to eliminate streptococci-induced lymphadenitis from swine referred to as principals. Abscesses, mostly in the head and neck, developed in at least a third of all swine in the various groups fed these CTC concentrations. Feeding of 220 mg of CTC/kg of feed in experiment 1 began 12 weeks after exposure of principals to an untypeable group E streptococci (GES; isolate 3X29A). In experiment 2, feeding of 110 and 220 mg of CTC/kg of feed began 5 weeks after exposure of principals to GES and feeding of 440 mg of CTC/kg of feed began 6 weeks after exposure. One or more cohabitating sentinel swine of experiment 1 and one or more sentinels in all groups of principals of experiment 2, except group 2, developed abscesses that were mostly in the head and neck. In experiment 2, correlation between serum GES antibody titer and development of one or more abscesses in the principals was highly significant (P < 0.01); however, correlation between antibody titer and abscesses in the sentinels only approached significance (P < 0.10).

Exacerbated onset of dysentery in swine vaccinated with inactivated adjuvanted Serpulina hyodysenteriae.

After oral challenge exposure with Serpulina hyodysenteriae-infected diced colon, fewer swine vaccinated with an experimental vaccine adjuvanted with mineral oil died (8 of 25 [32%]) than did nonvaccinated controls (6 of 15 [40%]), although the difference was not significant. However, onset and exacerbation of dysentery were accelerated in vaccinated swine because: 5 of the 8 dead vaccinated swine died before any of the nonvaccinates, which was significant (P < 0.01); vaccinated swine that died were observed to have more hemorrhage in the feces, colonic mucosa, and colonic lumen than did nonvaccinated swine; and the earlier diarrhea onset in vaccinates, the more days of hemorrhagic diarrhea (P < 0.05). Antibody titer in vaccinated swine immediately before challenge exposure that subsequently died was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that in vaccinated swine that recovered. Of of the 30 swine vaccinated with the experimental vaccine, 20 had dispersed droplets of mineral oil at the site of vaccination in the neck muscles and 3 swine had purulent abscesses at the injection site. It was concluded that vaccination with the experimental vaccine for controlling swine dysentery was ineffective.

Time dependencies in the occurrences of epileptic seizures.

A new method of analysis, developed within the framework of nonlinear dynamics, is applied to patient recorded time series of the occurrence of epileptic seizures. These data exhibit broad band spectra and generally have no obvious structure. The goal is to detect hidden internal dependencies in the data without making any restrictive assumptions, such as linearity, about the structure of the underlying system. The basis of our approach is a conditional probabilistic analysis in a phase space reconstructed from the original data. The data, recorded from patients with intractable epilepsy over a period of 1-3 years, consist of the times of occurrences of hundreds of partial complex seizures. Although the epileptic events appear to occur independently, we show that the epileptic process is not consistent with the rules of a homogeneous Poisson process or generally with a random (IID) process. More specifically, our analysis reveals dependencies of the occurrence of seizures on the occurrence of preceding seizures. These dependencies can be detected in the interseizure interval data sets as well as in the rate of seizures per time period. We modeled patient's inaccuracy in recording seizure events by the addition of uniform white noise and found that the detected dependencies are persistent after addition of noise with standard deviation as great as 1/3 of the standard deviation of the original data set. A linear autoregressive analysis fails to capture these dependencies or produces spurious ones in most of the cases.

IgA, IgG, and anti-Pasteurella multocida antibody levels in bursectomized and/or cyclophosphamide-treated turkeys after CU vaccination.

In bursectomized, cyclophosphamide-treated, and bursectomized/cyclophosphamide-treated turkeys, IgA, IgG, and anti-Pasteurella multocida were determined before and after vaccination with the Clemson University (CU) strain of P. multocida. Before vaccination, the average total serum level of IgA was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in bursectomized and bursectomized/cyclophosphamide-treated turkeys than in untreated controls, and the average serum levels of anti-P. multocida were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in bursectomized, cyclophosphamide-treated, and bursectomized/cyclophosphamide-treated turkeys than in untreated controls. After vaccination, average serum IgA levels were still significantly (P < 0.05) lower in all treated groups of turkeys than in the untreated controls. Also after vaccination, total IgG increased significantly (P < 0.05) only in the bursectomized turkeys, and serum anti-P. multocida antibody levels increased significantly (P < 0.05) in cyclophosphamide-treated, bursectomized/cyclophosphamide-treated, and untreated turkeys. After challenge with virulent P. multocida, survivability was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the three treated groups of turkeys than in the untreated groups.

Experience with a planned exposure program for the control of enzootic transmissible gastroenteritis in swine.

Oral inoculation of pregnant sows and gilts with a homogenate of pig intestines containing live, virulent transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus was associated with significant (P < 0.01) reduction of mortality in nursery pigs in a herd affected with enzootic TGE. The mortality of weaned pigs from April through June 1981, when sows were not vaccinated or inoculated, was 9.3%. Mortality of weanling pigs from July through December 1981 was 5.7% (P < 0.01), and stayed consistently between 2.6 and 4.8% from 1982 through 1990. After beginning the exposure program, there were no clinical signs attributable to TGE in the farrowing house or nursery until 1986, when recrudescence of TGE was evident in the nursery. Although the source of the virus could not be substantiated, recrudescence suggested that TGE virus would not be eradicated as long as exposure was continued. The most plausible explanation for the decrease in the incidence of diarrhea and mortality in the nursery pigs after initiation of the planned exposure program is that a higher, longer lasting amount of lactogenic immunity was provided to suckling pigs. Presumably over time, this resulted in less TGE virus carryover into the nursery by weanling pigs, thereby reducing and confining the environmental challenge to the nursery. Strict all-in, all-out pig movement in the nursery with thorough cleaning and disinfecting presumably further reduced the environmental challenge.

Characteristics of Mycoplasma hominis adhesion.

Mycoplasma hominis, a human pathogen, has previously been observed to bind to sulfatide separated on thin-layer chromatograms. It has not been demonstrated, however, that the binding is not simply a nonspecific ionic interaction. The ability of a low-passage patient isolate of M. hominis to adhere to glycoconjugates other than sulfatide and the characteristics of its binding to sulfatide were studied. Mycoplasmas were found to bind strongly and specifically in a temperature- and dose-dependent manner to only sulfatide of all of the glycolipids and glycoproteins tested. The avidity and specificity of binding, as well as the ability to inhibit the interaction specifically, suggest that the receptors to which M. hominis binds, particularly in the human urogenital tract, from which it is frequently isolated, are primarily, if not solely, sulfated glycolipids.

Arginine utilization by Mycoplasma fermentans is not regulated by glucose metabolism: a 13C-NMR study.

13C-NMR studies on the effect of glucose metabolism on arginine hydrolysis in Mycoplasma fermentans cells have been performed using a continuous perfusion technique. With this procedure we were able to show, in the presence of glucose, the rapid accumulation of lactic acid and, in the presence of arginine, the formation of citrulline that is apparently further metabolized. As the accumulation of lactate and the breakdown of arginine were observed in the simultaneous presence of both substrates, it is suggested that the glucose utilization has little or no effect on the deimination of arginine to citrulline.

Histologic pattern of testicular regrowths in caponized tom turkeys.

Testicular regrowths were observed in 10 of 21 tom turkeys between 28 and 32 weeks old, which was between 19 and 23 weeks after surgical caponization at 9 weeks of age. Regrowths were not observed in younger caponized toms. Two types of histologic patterns that differed from the normal pattern were observed in these regrowths. The first pattern was observed in seven regrowths and was characterized by a higher density of seminiferous tubules and more interstitial cells. The second pattern was seen in three regrowths and was characterized by extensive intertubular fibrosis, tubular detachment, and an increased number of interstitial cells. No correlation was found between the presence of these regrowths and plasma testosterone levels. The interstitial cell hyperplasia in all regrowths possibly was related to a diminished negative feedback by the endogenous testosterone on the release of luteinizing hormone from the pituitary. The appearance of regrowths at this age probably was related to the onset of normal physiological puberty.

Comparative susceptibility of caponized and uncaponized tom turkeys to Pasteurella multocida.

When susceptibility to virulent Pasteurella multocida was compared, there was no significant (P greater than 0.05) difference between caponized and uncaponized tom turkeys. Neither was there any significant (P greater than 0.05) difference between the surviving caponized and uncaponized toms in the development of serum anti-P. multocida antibody. However, at 28 weeks of age, the average live body weight of the caponized toms was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than that of the uncaponized toms. Turkeys were caponized when 9 weeks old, and different groups were exposed to P. multocida when 13, 18, 23, and 28 weeks old.

Incorporation of radiophosphorus from labeled oligodeoxynucleotides into RNA of mycoplasma in cell cultures.

We have found that various mycoplasma species quickly and efficiently incorporate radiophosphorus into their RNA from labeled oligonucleotides added to the medium. The label can be in any of several positions in an oligodeoxynucleotide, and incorporation also occurs efficiently from labeled RNA. Mycoplasmas also incorporate the radiolabel when they infect a mammalian cell culture; the host cells do not. This incorporation presumably involves uptake of the oligodeoxynucleotide followed by digestion to mononucleotides, conversion to ribonucleotides, and incorporation in new RNA. We believe that the processing of oligodeoxynucleotides by mycoplasma could be a source of artifacts in antisense work in cell culture and could have implications for the development of antisense therapeutics. We also suggest ways to exploit the incorporation phenomenon in mycoplasma testing.