Occurrence of Staphylococcus intermedius on the hair and skin of normal dogs.

Aerobic bacterial populations were studied on the distal hair coat and at the skin surface of the shoulder, rump and abdomen of 10 healthy dogs. Coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) were more frequently isolated from the hair than the skin at the shoulder and rump. There was no difference in the isolation rate of coagulase positive staphylococci (CPS) (Staphylococcus intermedius) between the hair and skin. Total skin counts were greatest on the abdomen whereas CNS counts from the hair were least at this site. There were no differences between CPS counts at the three sites on either hair or skin. The populations on the relatively unfavourable microenvironment of the distal hair may represent contamination rather than colonisation. The low populations of CPS at the skin surface also indicate contamination or transient colonisation rather than true resident status.     

Evaluation of the long-acting somatostatin analogue Octreotide in the management of insulinoma in three dogs

The response of dogs with insulinoma to surgical and medical management is variable, with the majority developing intractable hypoglycaemia. A long-acting somatostatin analogue, Octreotide (SMS 201–995; Sandostatin) has been useful in the management of hypoglycaemia in humans with insulinoma, and preliminary reports suggest a beneficial clinical response in dogs with insulinoma. The present study objectively evaluated Octreotide in the management of three dogs with immunohistochemically confirmed insulinoma. Octreotide had no benefit over placebo, and little effect on circulating glucose and insulin concentrations despite clearly detectable plasma concentrations of Octreotide. No clinical improvement was apparent in two dogs given Octreotide over a period of two and three weeks. These results contrast with the positive clinical responses noted previously and indicate that further placebo controlled, objective studies are necessary before clear statements on the treatment of insulinoma with Octreotide are made.     

Gastroesophageal reflux and hiatus hernia associated with laryngeal paralysis in a dog

Gastro-oesophageal reflux together with sliding hiatus hernia is reported in a dog, associated with laryngeal paralysis. Diagnosis was made following endoscopy and fluoroscopy. Surgical treatment of the laryngeal paralysis resulted in complete remission of clinical signs.     

Inhibition of DNA polymerase β activity in isolated bovine liver nuclei by captan and related compounds

The effects on DNA synthesis of the fungicide captan and several structurally related compounds were investigated in isolated bovine liver nuclei. Captan, folpet, captafol, and trichloromethanesulfenyl chloride inhibited DNA synthesis to the same degree with ID₅₀ values of approximately 50 μM in a 40-min assay. The inhibition is concentration dependent and the degree of inhibition increases with time. Studies with structural analogs of captan indicated that inhibition of DNA synthesis by captan is mediated through the trichloromethylthio moiety of the captan molecule. In addition, the data indicate thiophosgene is probably not the toxic species involved in the inhibition of DNA synthesis. The isolated nuclei used in this study were shown to exhibit only a single DNA polymerase activity which was determined to be of the β or low-molecular-weight type. In addition to its inhibition in intact nuclei, captan inhibited the activity of the β polymerase in nuclear extracts as well as in partially purified enzyme preparations. These results indicate that captan inhibits DNA synthesis in our preparation of isolated nuclei by acting directly on the DNA polymerase-catalyzed reaction rather than by causing a nonspecific or indirect effect in the nuclear system such as alterations in the nuclear membrane or aggregation of the nuclei. The site of captan's inhibitory action is the DNA polymerase molecule. The interaction of captan with the polymerase results in irreversible inhibition of the enzyme. Interaction of captan with the template, if it occurs, does not appear to be involved in mediating the inhibition.     

A modified fluorometric method to quantify the concentration effect (pI50) of photosystem II-inhibiting herbicides

Chlorophyll fluorescence induction curves of isolated thylakoids were measured in the absence and in the presence of various concentrations of photosystem II-inhibiting herbicides. A mathematical program was applied to simulate the curves. Based on these simulated curves a new method is developed to determine the concentration effect (pI₅₀) of the herbicides. The results of the new method correspond well with reported values in the literature. The method is very convenient and time-saving.