Observations on hypoglycaemia associated with a hepatoma in a cat

Disorientation, muscle fasciculations and weakness seen in a 12-year-old neutered female domestic shorthaired cat were attributed to hypoglycaemia associated with a large hepatoma. Glucagon tolerance tests on this cat and a healthy cat showed that their plasma glucose concentrations increased and decreased at about the same rate. Plasma insulin concentrations in the healthy cat increased and decreased in parallel with the plasma glucose concentration. In the affected cat, plasma insulin concentrations increased initially but decreased more rapidly. Reflecting these observations, the amended insulin to glucose ratios in the affected cat were much lower than those of the healthy cat, until the 4-hour sample. Serum somatostatin, somatomedin and gastrin concentrations were measured but no conclusions as to pathogenesis of the hypoglycaemia could be made. The alterations in insulin secretion in the affected cat suggested that altered hormonal control of glucose homeostasis may have occurred with this tumour.     

Periodicity and gradients in dispersal ofAlternaria linicola in linseed crops

Conidia ofAlternaria linicola produced on infected linseed crops were mainly dispersed by wind. The numbers of conidia in the air above linseed crops collected by a Burkard spore sampler were greatest between 1200 h and 1300 h, when the relative humidity was lowest. Although numbers of conidia collected decreased with increasing height within and above the crop canopy, air-borneA. linicola conidia were present up to 80 cm above the crop canopy. Conidia ofA. linicola were transported by wind up to at least 40 m downwind from an artificial line inoculum source, but their numbers decreased with increasing distance from the source. In 1991, 1992, and 1993, the dispersal ofA. linicola conidia above linseed crops followed a seasonal periodicity which was influenced by weather conditions and cultural practices. The greatest numbers of conidia were collected during July, August and early September and coincided with periods favourable for sporulation and with an increase in the incidence of the disease in the senescent crop. Air-borneA. linicola conidia produced on point or line inoculum sources (naturally infected linseed stem debris) were responsible for the spread of the disease in linseed crops. In 1992 and 1993, the disease was first detected downwind from the sources, but by the end of the growing seasons, it had spread in all directions and up to 20 m and 60 m from the sources, respectively. Disease gradients were initially steep near the inoculum sources but they became flatter with time due to the secondary spread of the disease.     

Inherently safe reactors and a second nuclear era

The Swedish PIUS reactor and the German-American small modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor are inherently safe-that is, their safety relies not upon intervention of humans or of electromechanical devices but on immutable principles of physics and chemistry. A second nuclear era may require commercialization and deployment of such inherently safe reactors, even though existing light-water reactors appear to be as safe as other well-accepted sources of central electricity, particularly hydroelectric dams.     

The relative growth of internal organs in light and heavy breeds

1. The relative weights of the gastrointestinal segments and of some other internal organs from light and heavy breed chicks from hatching to 21 days of age were compared.

2. The relative weight of the duodenum and jejunum was higher in the light breed than in the heavy one, the reverse relationship was found for the ileum and caecum.

3. The relative growth of the pancreas, heart, cerebrum and cerebellum was greater in the light breed.     

Habituation by the immature fowl in response to repeated injections of corticotrophin.

1. Immature birds treated for 7 d with corticotrophin (30 IU/kg, one injection per day) had significantly poorer growth rates and decreased adrenal cholesterol concentrations. Plasma glucose, corticosterone and cholesterol concentrations and adrenal weight were within the normal range 24 h after the last injection.

2. The responses of birds pretreated as described above to a single injection of corticotrophin (30 IU/kg) were determined.

3. A similar degree of hyperglycaemia had developed in both groups after 2 h but thereafter the responses differed: the concentration of plasma glucose did not increase further in those pretreated with corticotrophin and had begun to decrease at 6 h, whereas that of the birds pretreated with saline increased progressively.

4. The concentrations of plasma corticosterone had increased similarly in the two groups to a peak at 2 h but there was a significantly more rapid decrease in the birds pretreated with corticotrophin.

5. Both groups showed a transient hypercholesteraemia but the increase was significant only in the group that had previously received saline.

6. There were decreases in the concentrations of adrenal cholesterol in both groups. The decrease, in absolute terms, was 2–4 times greater in the group receiving corticotrophin for the first time: percentage changes were similar, however.     

Metabolic and anatomical adaptations of light‐bodied chicks to intermittent feeding

1. Chicks of a light‐bodied strain were deprived of food on alternate days from 15 to 46 d of age.

2. Hyperphagia, amounting to twice the intake of control birds early in the experiment, occurred on the repletion day.

3. Final body weight attained 80% of that of the controls.

4. Body fat concentration decreased at first but returned to that of controls after 3 weeks.

5. A consistent hyperlipaemia was observed after food deprivation or restoration.

6. There was a marked increase in the digestive enzymes found in the small intestine, but not in the pancreas during the repletion day.

7. These responses may be considered as mechanisms to reduce the physiological manifestations of starvation.     

Responses of immune and nonimmune adult rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to adenovirus SV-20.

Adenovirus SV-20 (ASV-20) was inoculated subcutaneously into adult rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), and various immunologic parameters were studied. Similar changes were observed in macaques that had anti-ASV-20 serum-neutralizing antibodies prior to inoculation and in those lacking detectable antibodies. There were absolute decreases in numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), erythrocyte-rosetting lymphocytes, complement-receptor lymphocytes, and Fc-receptor lymphocytes. These changes were most significant (P less than 0.05) on postinoculation days (PID) 3 and 7. Mitogenic responsiveness to concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, and pokeweed mitogen in cultured PBL from immune and nonimmune macaques was depressed on PID 3, 7, and 14. Ultraviolet-inactivated ASV-20 caused moderate suppression of phytohemagglutinin-induced mitogenesis when viral particles and lectin were added simultaneously to PBL cultures. Plasma cortisol (hydrocortisone) values were not significantly altered following inoculation of ASV-20. High titers of anti-ASV-20 antibody developed by PID 7 in nonimmune macaques, and previously immune macaques showed a booster effect in the same time period. Antibody titers were still increased 120 days after inoculation. There was no clinical evidence of an adverse effect of ASV-20 infection in these macaques.     

A simple technique to differentiate between animals infected with Yersinia enterocolitica IX and those infected with Brucella abortus.

While both Brucella abortus and Yersinia enterocolitica IX have O antigens in common, they differ significantly with respect to motility. Thus Br abortus is always non-motile while Y enterocolitica is motile when grown at room temperature. The presence of yersinia H agglutinins in serum can be shown to be evidence of previous exposure to Y enterocolitica. These agglutinins are not generated by brucella infection. A rapid H agglutination test will serve to provide this differentiation without interference from cross-reacting O antigens.