Hypoglycemia associated with nonislet cell tumor in 13 dogs

Hypoglycemia associated with nonislet cell tumor was found in 13 dogs. In each dog, clinical signs were related directly to adrenergic and neuroglucopenic effects of hypoglycemia and included collapsing episodes, tremors, restlessness, weakness, and grand mal seizures that were responsive to glucose administration. Eight of the dogs had hepatocellular carcinoma; surgical resection of the tumor achieved remission of clinical signs in 3 of these dogs. Other hepatic tumors associated with hypoglycemia included leiomyosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma involving solitary lobes of the liver. Nonhepatic tumors included splenic hemangiosarcoma, diffuse metastatic melanoma, and salivary gland adenocarcinoma.     

Plasmapheresis as adjuvant therapy for autoimmune hemolytic anemia in two dogs

Severe, acute, autoimmune hemolytic anemia in 2 dogs was treated, using prednisone, cyclophosphamide, plasmapheresis, and blood transfusion. In 1 case, splenectomy was performed successfully after plasmapheresis and blood transfusion. Antibody removal by means of plasmapheresis effected short-term stabilization to severe hemolysis in both dogs, but was suspected to have contributed to the death of 1 dog.     

Immunotherapy: bewitched, bothered, and bewildered no more

The field of immunotherapy holds clear promise not only for the development of new approaches to cancer and other diseases, but also for providing fundamental insight into the human immune response. In order for this promise to be realized, however, the scientific community must overcome an array of challenges. These challenges reflect not only the difficulties inherent in conducting investigations in human patients, but also difficulties created by the culture and practice of our own institutions, reward structure, and funding mechanisms. We suggest steps to be taken to reinvigorate basic research in human subjects as part of the mainstream of science.     

Detection of uranium from cosmos-1402 in the stratosphere

The nuclear reactor from the Soviet radar reconnaissance satellite, Cosmos-1402, reentered the earth's atmosphere on 7 February 1983 and disintegrated over the South Atlantic Ocean. The reactor was powered by approximately 50 kilograms of uranium-235 ((235)U). In an effort to determine the fate of the reactor core, a series of aerosol samples were collected at altitudes between 27 and 36 kilometers in the Northern Hemisphere approximately 1.1 years later by high-altitude balloons. At an altitude of 36 kilometers a 53 +/- 20 percent excess in the (235)U concentration was measured. The total excess of (235)U in the stratosphere was calculated to be 44 +/- 15 kilograms.     

Containing bioterrorist smallpox

The need for a planned response to a deliberate introduction of smallpox has recently become urgent. We constructed a stochastic simulator of the spread of smallpox in structured communities to compare the effectiveness of mass vaccination versus targeted vaccination of close contacts of cases. Mass vaccination before smallpox introduction or immediately after the first cases was more effective than targeted vaccination in preventing and containing epidemics if there was no prior herd immunity (that is, no prior immunologic protection within the population). The effectiveness of postrelease targeted and mass vaccinations increased if we assumed that there was residual immunity in adults vaccinated before 1972, but the effectiveness of targeted vaccination increased more than that of mass vaccination. Under all scenarios, targeted vaccination prevented more cases per dose of vaccine than did mass vaccination. Although further research with larger-scale structured models is needed, our results suggest that increasing herd immunity, perhaps with a combination of preemptive voluntary vaccination and vaccination of first responders, could enhance the effectiveness of postattack intervention. It could also help targeted vaccination be more competitive with mass vaccination at both preventing and containing a deliberate introduction of smallpox.     

Salmonellosis in dogs with lymphosarcoma

In 6 dogs with multicentric lymphosarcoma, salmonellosis developed shortly after the start of anticancer chemotherapy. Three of the dogs died. Signs of illness in those that died were vomiting, diarrhea, neutropenia, anorexia, and fever, usually within 3 days of the start of chemotherapy.     

Proliferative glomerulonephritis and chronic active hepatitis with cirrhosis associated with Corynebacterium parvum immunotherapy in a dog

Ivermectin, a broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent, was believed responsible for signs of CNS dysfunction in a dog. Within 2 hours of oral administration of ivermectin, the dog had hind limb ataxia. Neurologic signs progressed rapidly until the dog was in a semicomatose state at admission 20 hours later. The dog improved gradually under supportive care. The ivermectin had been given for suspected endoparasitism. Clinical signs were similar to those reported in dogs with clinical and experimental exposure to ivermectin.     

Prognostic factors for multiple myeloma in the dog

Multiple myeloma was diagnosed in 60 dogs. Diagnosis was confirmed in each case by observation of greater than 5% plasma cells on examination of a bone marrow aspirate and detection of monoclonal gammopathy of immunoglobulin (Ig) A or IgG. Treatment with melphalan, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone was associated with long-term survival (median, 540 days). Response to therapy was significantly related to prognosis (P less than 0.01), whereas hypercalcemia and Ig light chain proteinuria (Bence Jones) were associated with shorter median survival times.