Central and local actions of opioids upon reticulo-ruminal motility in sheep

The effects of opioids and naloxone on cyclical forestomach motility were determined in anaesthetized and conscious sheep. To assess central or peripheral opioid actions, differential routes of administration were used. Possible dynamic effects along the innervating vagovagal reflex arc were investigated electrophysiologically at the cervical level of the vagus nerve. Further, direct influences on the smooth muscle were evaluatedin vitro on isolated longitudinal reticular strips. Additionally, the effects of some spasmogenic agents were studied for comparative purposes. In anaesthetized sheep, opioids depressed in an identical manner both the amplitude of spontaneous cyclical contractions and contractions evoked by electrical stimulation of the distal end of the cut cervical vagus. In conscious sheep, low doses of normorphine and loperamide inhibited frequency and amplitude centrally (20 g/kg and 4 g/kg via carotid artery respectively), whereas locally higher dose levels (200 g/kg and 10 g/kg via coeliac artery respectively) affected only the amplitude of cyclical contractions. Furthermore the opioid peptides Leu-, Met-enkephalin and [D-Ala²-Met⁵]-enkephalinamide preferentially depressed the amplitude of cyclical motility most efficiently if administrated via the coeliac artery. These results indicate the presence both of a central opioid action depressing frequency and amplitude and of a local opioid action depressing only the amplitude of cyclical reticulo-ruminal motility. Opioids did not alter the resting discharge of afferent tension units and similarly failed to modulate tone of reticular stripsin vitro, suggesting that the opioids act locally on the intramural neuronal plexus, possibly by diminishing the output of excitatory transmitter. Whether substance P could play a role as a vagal excitatory transmitter besides the classically implicated acetylcholine has been discussed. The central opioid mechanism is probably not situated within the gastric centres but elsewhere in the brain. Naloxone ( 100 g/kg, jugular vein) stimulated the frequency of cyclical ruminal motility only in well-defined experimental conditions, probably via a central mechanism.     

Colonization and histopathology of susceptible and resistant carnation cultivars infected with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi

Stems of the susceptible Early Sam and resistant Novada carnations were inoculated with a conidial suspension ofFusarium oxysporum f. sp.dianthi. Stem segments of either cultivar were sampled regularly and used for determination of fungal growth and for microscopical investigation.Early Sam showed typicalFusarium wilt symptoms and its stems were colonized intensively. The observed vascular browning appeared to be caused by discolouration of primary walls of infected vessels and surrounding cells. Vessels were rarely occluded with gel. Cell wall degradation led to the formation of stem cavities. Hyperplasia of xylem parenchyma was not seen.In Novada, fungal colonization remained low throughout the experiment. Macroscopic symptoms were absent except for longitudinal bursts in the stem, which appeared to be caused by hyperplasia of xylem parenchyma bordering infection. Vascular gelation occurred in the infected tissues, causing some vascular browning also. Xylem vessel regeneration was observed in the hyperplastic layer. Cavities were not formed, and wall discolouration was rare. Vascular gelation is considered part of theFusarium wilt resistance mechanism. It is followed by xylem vessel regeneration, which expresses a general plant response to vascular dysfunction rather than being part of the resistance mechanism.Although of different origin, vascular browning as such occurs in both susceptible and resistant interactions. In breeding for resistance, care should hence be taken with the current use of browning as an indication of disease.Samenvatting Anjers van de vatbare cultivar Early Sam en de resistente cultivar Novada werden geïnoculeerd met een conidiënsuspensie vanFusarium oxysporum f. sp.dianthi. Van beide cultivars werden regelmatig stengeldelen geoogst om deze microscopisch te onderzoeken en om de schimmelgroei te bepalen.Early Sam vertoonde de voor deze verwelkingsziekte kenmerkende symptomen en werd intensief gekoloniseerd. Aan het vaatweefsel waargenomen bruinkleuring bleek veroorzaakt te worden door verkleuring van de primaire wanden van geïnfecteerde vaten en de hen omringende cellen. Zelden trad er in de vaten gomvorming op. Celwandafbraak veroorzaakte de vorming van holten in de stengel. Hyperplasie van het houtparenchym werd niet waargenomen.In Novada bleef de schimmelgroei gedurende het hele experiment beperkt. Macroscopisch waren er enkel lengtescheuren in de stengel te zien, die veroorzaakt bleken te worden door hyperplasie van aan de infectie grenzend houtparenchym. In het geïnfecteerde vaatweefsel optredende gomvorming veroorzaakte ook enige bruinkleuring. In het hyperplastische weefsel werd regeneratie van houtvaten waargenomen. In de stengel werden geen holten gevormd, en verkleuring van de celwanden kwam weinig voor. De vorming van gommen in de houtvaten maakt waarschijnlijk deel uit van het resistentiemechanisme. De daarop volgende houtvatregeneratie is eerder een algemene reactie van de plant op vaatverstopping dan een deel van het resistentiemechanisme.Vaatverbruining, zij het van verschillende oorsprong, komt voor in zowel vatbare als resistente interacties. Om die reden moet men in de resistentieveredeling bij de anjer voorzichtig zijn met het gebruik van bruinkleuring als ziekteïndicatie.     

"Baby Doe" regs thrown out by court

On April 14, 1983, federal district court judge Gerhard Gesell overturned, as "arbitrary and capricious," a Department of Health and Human Services regulation that required hospitals to post notices concerning the illegality of denying life-saving care to handicapped infants and encouraged anyone with knowledge of such a case to report it to HHS via a telephone hotline. This article reviews the evolution and implementation of the HHS regulation, the legal challenge to it, and the judge's ruling.     

A fossil noctuid moth egg from the late cretaceous of eastern north america

A moth egg assignable to the family Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) is described from 75-million-year-old sediments from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. This sample, which extends the fossil record of this farnily and modern heteroneuran moths back to the Cretaceous, may provide insight into the coevolution of moths and flowering plants, as well as have implications for the evolution of bats.     

Esophageal ectasia in a quarterhorse colt

A one month old Quarterhorse colt was presented after a week history of bilateral nasal discharge and respiratory difficulty. The cervical esophagus was greatly dilated, tortuous and filled with diluted milk. A nasogastric tube could not be passed beyond the base of the heart. An aspiration pneumonia was found at postmortem examination and the esophageal segment from the pharynx to the base of the heart was dilated, thin-walled, had degenerative muscular changes, and a reduction in size and number of ganglion cells of the myenteric plexus. Muscular hypertrophy of the terminal esophagus had reduced its lumen size. Some similarities and disparities of this condition to achalasia of man and megaesophagus of dogs are discussed.     

Examination of the origin of increased equine serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations

Serum alkaline phosphatase activity was found to be increased in 32.6% of equine samples analyzed at the Ontario Veterinary College over an 18 month period. An attempt was made using sensitivity to L-phenylalanine and heat to identify the origin of increased serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes present in 44 clinical cases. No difference in sensitivity to either procedure was observed for serum alkaline phosphatase from groups of foals and horses representing different clinical problems. Alkaline phosphatase of osseous tissue origin appeared to be the major source of activity for each group of animals reported.     

Lymphosarcoma with hypercalcemia and osteolysis in a dog

Lymphosarcoma in a six year old male Doberman pinscher was accompanied by hypercalcemia, generalized osteolysis and renal calcification. Tumor involvement of bone marrow was extensive. The possible pathogenesis of hypercalcemia was thought to be the result of a locally active bone-resorbing factor secreted by the tumor cells.