Obstetric admissions to intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: a registry-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the epidemiology of obstetric patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). DESIGN: Registry-based cohort study. SETTING: One hundred and eighty-three ICUs in Australia and New Zealand. POPULATION: Women aged 15-49 years, admitted to ICU between 2008 and 2017, classified as pregnant, postpartum or with an obstetric-related diagnosis. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) Adult Patient Database and national agencies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of ICU admission, cohort characteristics, maternal outcomes and changes over time. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 16 063 patients. The annual number of obstetric ICU admissions increased, whereas their proportion of total ICU admissions (1.3%) did not change (odds ratio 1.02, 95% CI 0.99-1.04, P = 0.14). There were 10 518 (65%) with an obstetric-related ICU diagnosis, and 5545 (35%) with a non-obstetric ICU diagnosis. Mean (SD) age was 31 (6.4) years, 1463 (9.1%) were Indigenous, 2305 (14%) were transferred from another hospital, and 3008 (19%) received mechanical ventilation. Median [IQR] length of stay in hospital was 5.2 [3.1-7.9] days, which included 1.1 [0.7-1.8] days in ICU. There were 108 (0.7%) maternal deaths, most (n = 97, 90%) having a non-obstetric diagnosis. There was no change in risk-adjusted length of stay or mortality over time. CONCLUSIONS: Obstetric patients account for a stable proportion of ICU admissions in Australia and New Zealand. These patients typically have a short length of ICU stay and low hospital mortality. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Obstetric patients in Australia/New Zealand ICUs have a short length of ICU stay and low mortality.

Does Clinical Exam and Ultrasound Compare With MRI Findings When Assessing Tendon Approximation in Acute Achilles Tendon Tears? A Clinical Study.

The purpose of this study was to determine if clinical palpation and ultrasound determination of apposition compares with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with an acute Achilles tendon rupture. A review of 18 consecutive patients presenting with an acute Achilles tendon tear was performed. All tears were diagnosed by clinical exam and confirmed by ultrasound. Ankles were then plantarflexed to a point where tendon apposition was achieved as determined by palpation and ultrasound. Dorsally based equinus splints were applied, and approximation was reconfirmed by palpation and ultrasound. MRI was performed on all patients for comparison to the exam/ultrasound for any residual gapping after splinting. Demographic and clinical comparisons were made between those with <0.5 cm and ≥0.5 cm of residual gapping found on MRI. Eighteen patients with acute Achilles tears were splinted at a mean of 41° ± 11°, with presumed, complete tendon approximation confirmed with palpation and ultrasound. Post-splinting MRI demonstrated that 9/18 (50%) of these patients had residual gapping at a mean of 2.2 ± 1 cm. Mean time to MRI from splinting was not different between those with gapping (1.3 ± 2 days) and those without (1.2 ± 1 days). No other clinical or demographic differences were observed between these groups. In conclusion, clinical exam and ultrasound did not routinely relate to MRI in assessing tendon approximation after splinting of an acute Achilles tendon tear. For surgeons who use approximation as a determination of nonoperative treatment, varying results can be obtained depending on the clinical utility used.

Tracking pan-continental trends in environmental contamination using sentinel raptors-what types of samples should we use?

Biomonitoring using birds of prey as sentinel species has been mooted as a way to evaluate the success of European Union directives that are designed to protect people and the environment across Europe from industrial contaminants and pesticides. No such pan-European evaluation currently exists. Coordination of such large scale monitoring would require harmonisation across multiple countries of the types of samples collected and analysed-matrices vary in the ease with which they can be collected and the information they provide. We report the first ever pan-European assessment of which raptor samples are collected across Europe and review their suitability for biomonitoring. Currently, some 182 monitoring programmes across 33 European countries collect a variety of raptor samples, and we discuss the relative merits of each for monitoring current priority and emerging compounds. Of the matrices collected, blood and liver are used most extensively for quantifying trends in recent and longer-term contaminant exposure, respectively. These matrices are potentially the most effective for pan-European biomonitoring but are not so widely and frequently collected as others. We found that failed eggs and feathers are the most widely collected samples. Because of this ubiquity, they may provide the best opportunities for widescale biomonitoring, although neither is suitable for all compounds. We advocate piloting pan-European monitoring of selected priority compounds using these matrices and developing read-across approaches to accommodate any effects that trophic pathway and species differences in accumulation may have on our ability to track environmental trends in contaminants.

Does Lack of Initial Collar-Calcar Contact Influence Performance of Collared Cementless Femoral Stems?

Background: Initial stability of cementless stems is important to minimize the risk of subsidence, pain, and periprosthetic fracture after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Collared stems improve initial component stability when contacting the femoral calcar. Direct contact is not always achieved, and collared stem performance has not been studied in this context. We hypothesized that collared stems achieving direct contact would demonstrate reduced subsidence. Methods: A single-surgeon retrospective study of 482 consecutive primary THAs implanted between February 2020 and May 2023 using collared cementless stems was performed. The 2 cohorts included stems with initial collar-calcar contact vs stems without. Subsidence was evaluated by comparing intraoperative fluoroscopy to postoperative 8-week radiographs. Binary logistic regression identified independent risk factors for subsidence. Chi-square tests were used for categorical variables and t-tests for continuous variables. Results: Of stems, 63.9% achieved initial collar-calcar contact, while 36.1% did not. The rate (1.3% vs 19.0%; P < .001) and magnitude (0.02 mm, range 0-3 mm vs 0.35 mm, range 0-3 mm; P < .001) of subsidence were significantly higher among stems without initial contact. Stems without initial collar-calcar contact (P < .001) and male gender (P = .007) were independent risk factors for subsidence. Two patients with initial contact had nondisplaced calcar cracks and <3 mm of subsidence at 4 weeks, which healed with protected weight-bearing. Stem survivorship was 100% in both groups, with all achieving osteointegration and none needing revision. Conclusions: Excellent performance of collared cementless stems was observed at 8 weeks after primary THA. Initial collar-calcar contact lowered the risk and magnitude of minor subsidence but did not affect survivorship or fracture risk. Level of Evidence: Level III.

Neurotensin and cholecystokinin contract gallbladder circular muscle in chickens.

The contractile effects of neurotensin (NT) and cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) on isolated circular smooth muscle strips of chicken gallbladder were investigated. The NT (0.25-300 nM) produced concentration-dependent contractions on smooth muscle with an EC50 of 8.5 nM (95% confidence limits = 5.3-13.6 nM). In comparison, CCK-8 produced concentration-dependent contractions with an EC50 of 13 nM (95% confidence limits of 9-20 nM). There were no statistical differences in contractile responses when comparing NT and CCK-8 at equimolar concentrations. The NT appears to act directly on smooth muscle tissue in the chicken; the contractile responses were not blocked by 10 µM atropine or tetrodotoxin. A portion of the activity is mediated by extracellular calcium as 100 nM nifedipine inhibited 30% of peptide-induced muscle tension. The NT receptor (NTR) type 1 antagonist SR 48692 (0.1 µM) did not significantly reduce NT potency. The contractile effects of CCK-8 remained unaltered in tissues pretreated with atropine, TTX, or nifedipine. The CCK-A antagonist lorglumide, at a concentration of 1 µM, reduced the contractile potency of CCK-8 by one-half. Avian receptors for NT and CCK may differ pharmacologically from their mammalian counterparts, but their contractile actions on the gallbladder resulting in increased biliary output by flow are further evidence of their role in the postprandial regulation of lipid digestion in chickens.

Recent trends in Victorian risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality: 1999-2009.

BACKGROUND: The background of the study is a comparison of risk-adjusted mortality across hospitals from different jurisdictions is now common worldwide. AIM: To examine temporal trends in risk-adjusted mortality in Victoria over the last decade. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 6.89 million adult (>14 years) patient episodes from 23 major Victorian public hospitals between 1999 and 2009. The primary outcome was in-hospital death. Three measures were calculated: the crude mortality rate, risk-adjusted mortality rate and standardised mortality ratio (SMR). The Hospital Outcome Prediction Equation (HOPE) was applied to generate estimates of predicted mortality that were used to compute the SMR and risk-adjusted mortality rates. The HOPE model includes 26 exogenous risk factors for which providers have no influence. The model was calibrated using the 2004-2005 data. Temporal mortality trends from 1999-2009 were evaluated using negative binomial regression for crude mortality and SMR estimates and random-intercept hierarchical logistic regression for risk-adjusted mortality. RESULTS: The study population included 84 423 in-hospital deaths (1.2%). Crude mortality risk declined from 1.5% in 2000 to 1.1% in 2005-2009 (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.95-0.97; P < 0.001). There were 1.39 million episodes in the HOPE calibration cohort. Between 1999 and 2009, the SMR decreased from 1.4 to 0.9 (IRR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.90-0.97; P < 0.001) and adjusted mortality risk declined from 2.1% to 0.9% (odds ratio = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.94-0.94, P < 0.001). Declining mortality trends were evident in the tertiary, metropolitan and regional peer groups (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Analysis of in-hospital risk-adjusted mortality trends using the HOPE model indicates significant improvement in patient outcomes in the State of Victoria over the past decade.

Utility of Intraoperative Fluoroscopic Positioning of Total Hip Arthroplasty Components Using a Posterior and Direct Anterior Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Positioning of implant components for total hip arthroplasty (THA) is important for polyethylene liner wear, prosthesis joint stability, and range of motion. The introduction of fluoroscopy for the direct anterior approach has been shown to improve physician accuracy for component positioning. Few studies compare the use of intraoperative fluoroscopy for THA component positioning in posterior THA. The purpose of this project is to retrospectively evaluate the effect of intraoperative fluoroscopy on component positioning for THA using posterior and direct anterior approach (DAA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of postoperative weight-bearing X-ray films of THAs was performed over a 2-year period where a single fellowship-trained total joint surgeon introduced direct anterior approach into his practice while expanding the intraoperative use of fluoroscopy for all THA procedures, regardless of approach. Component position was evaluated through radiographic measurement of acetabular cup inclination (goal of 40 degrees), limb length discrepancy (goal of 0 mm), and femoral component offset difference (goal of 0 mm). Radiographic analysis was performed by two independent providers. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-tests. RESULTS: A total of 107 patients with an average age of 62 years were identified during the 2-year period surrounding the THA practice change, adding fluoroscopy to posterior and DAA THA. Three cohorts were identified: cohort A: 44 patients who underwent posterior THAs without the use of intraoperative fluoroscopy, cohort B: 35 patients who underwent direct anterior approach THAs with the use of intraoperative fluoroscopy, and cohort C: 18 patients who underwent posterior THAs with the use of intraoperative fluoroscopy. The use of intraoperative fluoroscopy for the posterior approach versus unguided posterior approach increased accuracy of both cup inclination (44 degrees vs 50 degrees, P < .05) and femoral offset (4 mm vs 7 mm, P < .05). A comparison of DAA with fluoroscopy versus posterior approach without fluoroscopy showed improvement in cup inclination (48 degrees vs 50 degrees, P < .05). Fluoroscopy with posterior approach versus fluoroscopy with DAA was found to have improved cup inclination (44 degrees vs 48 degrees, P < .05). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative use of fluoroscopy can improve component positioning for posterior THA.

Susceptibility of North-American and European crickets to Acheta domesticus densovirus (AdDNV) and associated epizootics.

The European house cricket, Acheta domesticus L., is highly susceptible to A. domesticus densovirus (AdDNV). Commercial rearings of crickets in Europe are frequently decimated by this pathogen. Mortality was predominant in the last larval stage and young adults. Infected A. domesticus were smaller, less active, did not jump as high, and the adult females seldom lived more than 10-14 days. The most obvious pathological change was the completely empty digestive caecae. Infected tissues included adipose tissue, midgut, epidermis, and Malpighian tubules. Sudden AdDNV epizootics have decimated commercial mass rearings in widely separated parts of North America since the autumn of 2009. Facilities that are producing disease-free crickets have avoided the importation of crickets and other non-cricket species (or nonliving material). Five isolates from different areas in North America contained identical sequences as did AdDNV present in non-cricket species collected from these facilities. The North American AdDNVs differed slightly from sequences of European AdDNV isolates obtained in 1977, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009 and an American isolate from 1988. The substitution rate of the 1977 AdDNV 5kb genome was about two nucleotides per year, about half of the substitutions being synonymous. The American and European AdDNV strains are estimated to have diverged in 2006. The lepidopterans Spodoptera littoralis and Galleria mellonella could not be infected with AdDNV. The Jamaican cricket, Gryllus assimilis, and the European field cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, were also found to be resistant to AdDNV.

Total Joint Arthroplasty at a Tertiary Military Medical Center in Hawai'i: Does Travel Distance Influence Short Term Complications?

As the health care delivery system in the United States changes, there has been an increase in the presence of specialized medical centers, translating into increased travel distance for patients. Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i serves a unique population of local patients and those traveling from neighboring Hawaiian Islands and from across the Pacific Basin and Asia. Previous studies have examined the role of distance traveled, but no study has looked at patients routinely flying in the immediate postoperative period. The purpose of this study is to investigate if increased travel distance is associated with a higher probability of complications after a total joint arthroplasty (TJA). A retrospective review of all patients receiving TJA at a single medical institution was performed. After meeting the inclusion criteria, 126 consecutive patients were reviewed for 30-day complications. Sixty-four patients were local (from O'ahu, Hawai'i), and 13 from neighboring Hawaiian Islands, while 49 were international. There were no significant differences in complications between the groups. Length of stay was not affected by distance. A significant risk factor for short-term complications was having a higher score based on the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System (ASA), ASA 3 vs ASA 1&2 (14% vs 1%, P = .015). There were no findings in our population to support inferior outcomes in patients traveling from the outer Pacific Basin during their initial postoperative course compared to the local population. No patient sustained a short-term complication after a patient returned to their island or country of origin. The results of this study will help to guide clinical decision making and effective resource management for patients seeking TJA traveling from a significant distance.

The atomic structure of Mengo virus at 3.0 A resolution.

The structure of Mengo virus, a representative member of the cardio picornaviruses, is substantially different from the structures of rhino- and polioviruses. The structure of Mengo virus was solved with the use of human rhinovirus 14 as an 8 A resolution structural approximation. Phase information was then extended to 3 A resolution by use of the icosahedral symmetry. This procedure gives promise that many other virus structures also can be determined without the use of the isomorphous replacement technique. Although the organization of the major capsid proteins VP1, VP2, and VP3 of Mengo virus is essentially the same as in rhino- and polioviruses, large insertions and deletions, mostly in VP1, radically alter the surface features. In particular, the putative receptor binding "canyon" of human rhinovirus 14 becomes a deep "pit" in Mengo virus because of polypeptide insertions in VP1 that fill part of the canyon. The minor capsid peptide, VP4, is completely internal in Mengo virus, but its association with the other capsid proteins is substantially different from that in rhino- or poliovirus. However, its carboxyl terminus is located at a position similar to that in human rhinovirus 14 and poliovirus, suggesting the same autocatalytic cleavage of VP0 to VP4 and VP2 takes place during assembly in all these picornaviruses.

Validation of the hospital outcome prediction equation (HOPE) model for monitoring clinical performance.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to validate a risk-adjusted hospital outcome prediction equation (HOPE) using a statewide administrative dataset. METHODS: Retrospective observational study using multivariate logistic regression modelling. Calibration and discrimination were assessed by standardized mortality ratio (SMR), area under the receiver operating characteristic plot (ROC AUC), Hosmer-Lemeshow contingency tables and goodness-of-fit statistic in an independent dataset, and in all 23 important tertiary, metropolitan and regional hospitals. The dependent variable was in-hospital death. All consecutive adult hospital separations between 1 July 2004 and 30 June 2006, excluding obstetric and day-case only admissions, from all acute health services within the State of Victoria, Australia were included. RESULTS: A total of 379 676 consecutive records (1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005) was used to derive the HOPE model. Six variables (age, male sex, admission diagnosis, emergency admission, aged-care resident and inter-hospital transfer) were selected for inclusion in the final model. It was validated in the 384 489 consecutive records from the following year (1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006). The 95% confidence interval for the SMR was 0.98-1.02, and for the ROC AUC, 0.87-0.88. Discrimination and (one or more) calibration criteria were achieved in 22 (96%) of the 23 hospitals. CONCLUSION: The HOPE model is a simple risk-adjusted outcome prediction tool, based on six variables from data that are routinely collected for administrative purposes and appears to be a reliable predictor of hospital outcome.

Current and future water issues in the Oldman River Basin of Alberta, Canada.

Long-term trends in alpine and prairie snow pack accumulation and melt are affecting streamflow within the Oldman River Basin in southern Alberta, Canada. Unchecked rural and urban development also has contributed to changes in water quality, including enhanced microbial populations and increased waterborne pathogen occurrence. In this study we look at changing environment within the Oldman River Basin and its impact on water quality and quantity. The cumulative effects include a decline in net water supplies, and declining quality resulting in increased risk of disease. Our data indicates that decreases in the rate of flow of water can result in sedimentation of bacterial contaminants within the water column. Water for ecosystems, urban consumption, recreation and distribution through irrigation is often drawn from waterholding facilities such as dams and weirs, and concern must be expressed over the potential for contaminate build-up and disproportionate potential of these structures to pose a risk to human and animal health. With disruption of natural flow rates for water resulting from environmental change such as global warming and/or human intervention, increased attention needs to be paid to use of best management practices to protect source water supplies.

Use of in-stream reservoirs to reduce bacterial contamination of rural watersheds.

An investigation into bacterial water quality problems was conducted on an interconnected stream and irrigation system within the Oldman River Basin of southern Alberta, Canada. Levels of indicator bacteria, including fecal coliforms, generic Escherichia coli and fecal streptococci, were repeatedly measured in streams and irrigation return canals of this river basin during the summer of 2001. Bacterial-loading segments of the irrigation/stream system were identified through a comparison of indicator bacteria levels in pairs of upstream and downstream sites. Mann-Whitney U-tests indicated that reservoirs significantly reduced bacterial counts. A temporal comparison of E. coli counts and river discharges suggested that these indicator bacteria do not originate from within in-stream sediments. Site-specific as well as cumulative inputs from a variety of non-point sources are likely to be responsible for the high downstream levels of indicator bacteria in this water system. The use of management practices such as in-stream reservoirs may significantly reduce contamination, and increase the quality of limited rural water supplies to allow their reuse and safe discharge into downstream water sources. The identification of bacteria-loading river/canal segments could also be used to prioritize restoration projects.

Mouth in Foot Disease.

Toothpicks are commonly used household items that rarely cause serious injury or infection. Toothpick-related injuries often occur due to ingestion with subsequent trauma/infection at distal sites within the gastrointestinal tract; however, cardiovascular, pleural, and soft tissue infections have been reported. Eikenella corrodens is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic bacillus found in oral flora associated with bite wound infections. A few case reports describe E. corrodens osteomyelitis from toothpick puncture wounds. We report a case of foot cellulitis and abscess in an elderly diabetic after toothpick puncture injury that was unresponsive to empiric antibiotics. Wound cultures grew E. corrodens and rare Peptostreptococcus species. E. corrodens is resistant to first-generation cephalosporins, macrolides, aminoglycosides, clindamycin, and metronidazole. This case highlights the insidious nature of E. corrodens infections and the need to tailor empiric antibiotics for skin and soft tissue infections based on the mechanism of injury. In addition, this case stresses the importance of protective footwear in diabetics and serves as a cautionary tale regarding the use of seemingly innocuous toothpicks.

A common precursor to neurotensin and LANT6 and its differential processing in chicken tissues.

Antisera towards neurotensin (NT) and the structurally related peptide, LANT6, were used to characterize immunoreactive peptides and proteins in extracts of chicken tissues. A 17 kDa protein was identified by Western blotting as a potential precursor to NT and LANT6. However, the posttranslational processing of this common precursor appeared to be tissue specific, giving rise to disproportionate amounts of NT and LANT6, along with varying expression of a large molecular LANT6 (M(r), 15 kDa). The intestinal cells containing immunoreactive NT, LANT6, and large molecular LANT6 behaved similarly during fractionation by size and density. These activities also banded together in particles resembling vesicles during centrifugation of isotonic homogenates of tissue. These results suggest that chicken NT and LANT6 are biosynthesized as parts of the same precursor, the processing of which can give rise to a variety of products stored within secretory vesicles.

Effect of avian neurotensin on motility of chicken (Gallus domesticus) lower gut in vivo and in vitro.

Mammalian neurotensin, originally isolated from bovine hypothalamus, differs from avian neurotensin (aNT) by 6 amino acid residues. Bovine neurotensin has been shown to affect motility of chicken crop and rectum and secretion of chicken ileum, but there have been no studies of the effects of aNT on avian intestinal function. This study was designed to characterize the effects of aNT on the motility of the chicken lower gut. Strain gauge transducers were used in vivo to measure contractions of chicken distal ileum, cecum, and distal colon in response to 30-min infusions of aNT at rates of 15, 30, 60 or 600 pmol.kg-1.min-1. In vitro experiments were conducted using segments of distal ileum, cecum or distal colon, stripped of mucosa, cut in either the longitudinal or circular plane, and suspended isometrically in isolated organ tissue baths at a resting tension of 1 g. Avian neurotensin, substance P (SP), or carbamylcholine (CCH) were administered to the bath and the tension generated by each tissue was recorded via a force transducer. A relaxation of chicken ileum was observed in response to aNT infusion in vivo. Except for stimulation of excretation, colon and cecum were not affected by aNT infusion. Both aNT and SP stimulated motility of chicken ileum and cecum in vitro. SP had no consistent effect on colon and aNT only increased contractile force of colon circular muscle. It was concluded that both aNT and SP may have a role in the regulation of lower gut motility in avian species.

Food intake, gastric secretion, and motility as affected by avian pancreatic polypeptide administered centrally in chickens.

The effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of avian pancreatic polypeptide (APP) on food intake, gizzard motility, gastric secretion volume, pH, and pepsin concentration was investigated using 16-20-week-old Single-Comb White Leghorn hens. Birds were stereotaxically cannulated in the right lateral ventricle. In addition, a strain gauge was attached to the gizzard to measure motility and a polyethylene cannula was implanted into the caudoventral margin of the proventriculus to collect glandular secretions. All birds were fasted for 18 hr prior to the injection of APP. In Experiment 1 food was made available immediately following the injection of APP while in Experiment 2 food was withheld for an additional one hr post-injection. The ICV injection of APP significantly increased food intake but had no significant effect on gizzard motility, gastric secretion volume, pH, or pepsin concentration in birds given access to food immediately after injection. In birds which remained fasted after injection, pepsin concentration was decreased by APP injection, but gizzard motility, gastric secretion volume, and pH were not affected. Because ICV injections of APP significantly increased food intake and, in fasted birds, decreased pepsin concentration, it appears that APP is involved in the central nervous system control of food intake and pepsin secretion in the domestic fowl.

MR angiography of the mesenteric vasculature.

MRA has evolved from a research tool to a robust clinical diagnostic modality. In many centers worldwide, it is the technique of choice for evaluating patients with suspected CMI, assessing operability of patients with pancreatic cancer, and investigating the portal system. Evolving indications include the assessment of liver transplant patients before and after transplant and of living related liver transplant donors. The search for the bleeding source in patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage may be an indication in the future, once intravascular contrast agents become available.

Fast quantitation of recombinant plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 in bacterial lysates by micropellicular reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

A rapid reversed-phase HPLC assay is described for quantitating recombinant plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in cultures of Escherichia coli. The assay utilized a short nonporous micropellicular C18 column with an acetonitrile gradient in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. The selective resolution of recombinant PAI-1 from major host proteins occurred within 1.3 min. Regeneration of initial chromatography conditions was fast and allowed successive injections every 3 min. The assay's limit of detection for recombinant PAI-1 was 0.5 microg in 5-microl injections of bacterial lysates and the assay was linear to 20 microg. The assay's apparent recovery was between 94 and 108% throughout the quantitative range. In a direct comparison to gel electrophoresis the reversed-phase assay proved superior in monitoring recombinant PAI-1 titers in cultures of E. coli.

Intestine fullness influences feeding behaviour and crop filling in the domestic turkey.

Image-intensification radiology showed that artificial introduction of food slurry into the intestines of 6-12 wk-old turkey hens significantly increased the proportion of boli entering the crop during an evening meal, hence decreasing the proportion of boli travelling directly to the gizzard. Since bolus movement is directed by esophageal motility, esophageal motility may be partially mediated by stretch or chemoreceptors in the distal duodenum. Increased crop filling during afternoon meals lends support to the widely held belief that the crop increases gut storage capacity and helps "tide birds over" the nightly fast. Artificial filling of the distal duodenum paradoxically increased food intake in birds observed by radiology while eating a single meal (morning and evening), and in birds observed by eye over a 3 h period in the morning. This phenomenon is similar to that previously reported for rabbits and domestic chicken. Conversely, duodenal filing reduced food intake over a full day (11 h), more than compensating for the introduced food. Rapid filling of the small intestine (within 25 min. of the start of the meal) suggests a modification of the function of the domestic turkey duodenum to serve as a "mixing chamber," possibly enhancing digestive efficiency. The ways in which this modification affects digestion and absorption in the duodenum warrant investigation.