Bungowannah virus in the affected pig population: a retrospective genetic analysis

Virus Genes - Bungowannah virus, which belongs to the genus Pestivirus within the family Flaviviridae, has been associated with myocarditis and a high incidence of stillbirths in pigs. In 2003, the...     

Jejuno-jejunale Invagination nach Dennis-Sonden-Einlage wegen Ileus – eine seltene Komplikation

Bei der im Erwachsenenalter selten auftretenden Invagination ist – im Gegensatz zum S?ugling oder Kleinkind – die klinische Symptomatik uncharakteristisch. In der Regel bestehen urs?chlich organische Ver?nderungen des Dünndarms. Am Fallbeispiel einer retrograden jejuno-jejunalen Invagination nach Entfernung einer intraoperativ plazierten Dennis-Sonde bei einem 61 j?hrigen Patienten mit einem Adh?sionsileus wird der klinische Verlauf, die Diagnostik und das therapeutische Vorgehen geschildert. Die Sonographie des Abdomens ist nicht nur im Kindesalter die Methode der ersten Wahl zur Diagnosestellung, sondern hat auch in diesem Fall einen richtungsweisenden Befund erbracht. Eine operative Beseitigung der Invagination ist im Erwachsenenalter im Gegensatz zur h?ufigen kindlichen Invagination angezeigt.     

Impaired proliferation and increased L-lactate production of dermal fibroblasts in the GK-rat, a spontaneous model of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

Intact fibroblast function is required for normal wound healing. Although healing is generally accepted to be disturbed in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, the signals modulating this disturbance are not fully understood. Therefore, we studied dermal fibroblasts from the GK rat, a non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus model, and the Wistar rat (control) regarding growth characteristics, and L-lactate production at 5.5 mM and 25.5 mM glucose in the absence or presence of protein kinase C-inhibition, or alpha-tocopherol acetate. In addition, growth and L-lactate responses to hyaluronic acid were assessed under normal glucose conditions. At 5.5 mM glucose, the fibroblasts from the GK rat showed a lower proliferation rate during the first 24 hours, measured as DNA content, as compared to Wistar rats, i.e. at 8 hours GK was 57% of control, p < 0.01, at 24 hours GK was 60% of control, p < 0.01. The GK rat fibroblasts accumulated higher L-lactate levels in the media at 24-96 hours. Addition of glucose at a concentration of 25.5 mM decreased the total DNA content in GK rat fibroblast cultures to 74% (p < 0.05) and in control to 87% (p < 0.05), and increased L-lactate levels, measured at 48 hours. A protein kinase C-inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide IX, increased DNA content and decreased L-lactate in both cell types during culture in high glucose, but only affected GK rat fibroblasts during normal glucose. Hyaluronic acid, increased DNA content in both types of fibroblasts, GK: 139% (p < 0.05), control: 127% (p < 0.05) and reduced L-lactate production. The above observations indicate that GK rat fibroblast proliferation is suppressed when the cells are cultured in high glucose containing media. In addition, protein kinase C and hyaluronic acid might play a role as modulators of fibroblast proliferation during the diabetic state.     

4-Chloro-m-cresol is a Trigger of Malignant Hyperthermia in Susceptible Swine

Background: 4-Chloro-m-cresol (4-CmC) induces marked contractures in skeletal muscle specimens from individuals susceptible to malignant hyperthermia (MHS). In contrast, 4-CmC induces only small contractures in specimens from normal (MHN) patients. 4-CmC is a preservative within a large number of commercially available drug-preparations (e.g., insulin, heparin, succinylcholine), and it has been suggested that 4-CmC might trigger malignant hyperthermia. This study was designed to investigate the effects of 4-CmC in vivo and in vitro in the same animals.

Methods: After approval of the animal care committee, six Pietrain MHS and six control (MHN) swine were anesthetized with azaperone 4 mg/kg intramuscularly and metomidate 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally. After endotracheal intubation, lungs were mechanically ventilated (inspired oxygen fraction 0.3) and anesthesia was maintained with etomidate 2.5 mg [middle dot] kg-1 [middle dot] h-1 and fentanyl 50 [micro sign]g [middle dot] kg-1 [middle dot] h-1. Animals were surgically prepared with arterial and central venous catheters for measurement of hemodynamic parameters and to obtain blood samples. Before exposure to 4-CmC in vivo, muscle specimens were excised for in vitro contracture tests with 4-CmC in concentrations of 75 and 200 [micro sign]M. Subsequently, pigs were exposed to cumulative administration of 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 mg/kg 4-CmC intravenously. If an unequivocal episode of malignant hyperthermia occurred, as indicated by venous carbon dioxide concentration >or= to 70 mmHg, pH or= to 2 [degree sign]C, the animals were treated with dantrolene, 3.5 mg/kg.

Results: All MHS swine developed malignant hyperthermia after administration of 4-CmC in doses of 12 or 24 mg/kg. Venous carbon dioxide concentration significantly increased and pH significantly decreased. Temperature increased in all MHS animals more than 2 [degree sign]C. Blood lactate concentrations and creatine kinase levels were significantly elevated. All MHS swine were treated successfully with dantrolene. In contrast, no MHN swine developed signs of malignant hyperthermia. After receiving 4-CmC in a concentration of 48 mg/kg, however, all MHN animals died by ventricular fibrillation. The in vitro experiments showed that both concentrations of 4-CmC produced significantly greater contractures in MHS than in MHN specimens.     

Systemic oxytocin treatment modulates α2-adrenoceptors in telencephalic and diencephalic regions of the rat

Systemic subchronic oxytocin treatment significantly and substantially increased the B_max values of the α2 agonist [³H]UK14.304 binding sites in the hypothalamus, the amygdala and the paraventricular thalamic nucleus of the rat as shown by quantitative receptor autoradiography. These results suggest that long-term modulation of autonomic and neuroendocrine functions and emotional behaviours elicited by brain oxytocin may involve enhancement of central α2-adrenoceptor function.     

Comparison of the tolerability and efficacy of citalopram and amitriptyline in elderly depressed patients treated in general practice

The enhanced sensitivity of the elderly to the side effects produced by tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and the frequency and type of adverse events, have made the treatment of depression in this group difficult. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been reported to produce significantly fewer undesirable side effects and display better tolerance than TCAs. We compared the therapeutic actions and side effects produced by citalopram, the most selective SSRI available, with amitriptyline in a group of elderly patients (aged 65 and older) diagnosed with major depression. In a double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group, multicenter comparison of citalopram (20 or 40 mg/day) and amitriptyline (50 or 100 mg/day), patients who did not respond to placebo during a 1-week single-blind phase were randomly assigned to receive citalopram or amitriptyline for 8 weeks. Efficacy measures included the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and Clinical Global Impressions. Both drug treatments produced equivalent time-related declines in severity of depression, so that by 8 weeks slightly more than 50% of the patients in each group experienced marked recovery, defined as MADRS scores ≤ 12. Amitriptyline produced a greater overall incidence of adverse events, including a significantly higher (P < 0.001) percentage of patients reporting dry mouth (34% vs. 7%), as well as a significantly higher (P < 0.02) incidence of somnolence. Constipation and fatigue also occurred more frequently in the amitriptyline than in the citalopram group. For only one event (nausea) did the citalopram group report a significantly greater (P = 0.012) incidence (12.8% vs. 4.8%). On the basis of these results, it was concluded that citalopram is as effective an antidepressant as amitriptyline in the treatment of the depressed elderly. Because of its low incidence and low magnitude of side effects, citalopram seems especially useful in private practice. Depression and Anxiety 8:147–153, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Direct identification by PCR of EBV types and variants in clinical samples

Both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) type A and type B, and variants of type A, were identified simultaneously by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a DNA region coding for a 13 amino acid repeat in the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) 6. Whereas this region varies extensively in type A isolates, no variation was seen in type B isolates. When a repetitive region in the LMP1-coding region was amplified by PCR, it was possible to distinguish individual variants of type B isolates from each other. Forty-two saliva samples from HIV-1-carrying individuals were examined for the presence of type A and type B virus. Both types and multiple variants of each type were found with a much higher frequency than in the saliva samples from healthy individuals. Type A EBV alone was detected in mouthwash samples from 6 infectious mononucleosis (IM) patients. Both type A and B were detected in the peripheral blood B-lymphocytes (PBL) from 1 healthy individual. The same type A variant was demonstrated both in PBL and in the mouthwash sample from another healthy individual. In this study it was shown that a combination of the EBNA 6- and LMP 1-specific PCRs followed by Southern hybridisation can be used to identify both type A and type B virus, as well as to distinguish between multiple variants of the same strain, in saliva and B-cells from both healthy and immunosuppressed individuals. J. Med. Virol. 51:355–363, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.