Food intake measurement: problems and approaches.

Sources of variance in dietary intake records were measured and compared. Eighteen graduate students recorded self-selected food intakes during a 30-day study. Subjects were divided into two groups and on alternating 5 consecutive day periods, one group weighted all food consumed and recorded it on tape recorders while the other group recorded estimated intake in small notebooks. An average of two, 24-h dietary recalls was also obtained from each subject and compared to previously estimated intake. The major contributions to total variance were within subject and between subject variance. There was no difference in the mean protein and energy intake recorded by weighing when compared to that recorded in household measures, but there was less variability in the records obtained by weighting intake. The 95% confidence limits were calculated both for the group's and an individual's intake for each method, these demonstrated that 1-day dietary record gave a reasonable estimate (within 15%) of the usual intake of the group. However, the 1-day record, regardless of which method used, gave a meaningless estimate of an individual's usual diet. The protein/energy ratios and the coefficient of interindividual variation are also reported.

Effects of marginally negative energy balance on insulin binding to erythrocytes of normal men.

Six healthy male volunteers were confined to a metabolic unit for 105 days. Energy intake (EI) and energy expenditure (EE) were varied in order to achieve either a marginally negative (-15%) or an equilibrated energy balance (EB), in different metabolic periods (MP) as follows: MP I: EE = 1, EI = 1, EB = 0; MP II: EE = 1, EI = 0.85, EB = -15%; MP III: EE = 0.85, EI = 0.85, EB = 0; MP IV: EE = 0.85, EI = 0.70, EB = -15%; MP VI: EE = 1.15, EI = 1.15, EB = 0; MP VII: EE = 1.15, EI = 1, EB = -15%. An egg protein formula diet was fed throughout the study. The amount given in MP I was sufficient to maintain body weight constant. Assigned physical activity consisted of regulated walking and cycling. During MP I, this physical activity accounted for 15% of the energy intake. Serum insulin, insulin binding to erythrocytes and body fat content were determined at the end of each MP. No significant changes were found in serum insulin level throughout the study, but specific insulin binding did change significantly. Binding increased with increased physical activity by 23% at the end of MP VI and an additional 35% at the end of MP VII. The maximum percentage of insulin binding to erythrocytes correlated inversely with the percentage of body fat in each MP. These data suggest that insulin binding to erythrocytes, in normal men, is sensitive to a small change in energy balance, and especially to physical activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hormonal changes in normal men under marginally negative energy balance.

Six men were confined to a metabolic unit for 105 days. Their assigned work and energy intake were varied throughout six metabolic periods in order to create either a marginally negative (-15%) or an equilibrated energy balance. They were fed a defined diet providing a constant amount of protein. At each metabolic period, T4, T3, reverse T3(rT3), free T3, free reverse T3, thyroid-stimulating hormone, cortisol, cortisol-binding globulin, testosterone, and testosterone/estradiol-binding globulin were measured. Free urinary cortisol was measured daily. Results show that serum thyroid hormones are sensitive to marginal changes in energy intake, expenditure, and balance. The ratio T4/T3 appears to be more sensitive to the balance itself, with the ratio T3/rT3 being more sensitive to the intake and expenditure level at which this balance is established. Regulations of T3 and rT3 production are probably distinct. Urinary cortisol did not show any variation that could be related to the energy balance. However, daily urinary cortisol was correlated to daily urinary nitrogen excretion. No change in serum testosterone was found.

Status of Ixodes dammini (Acari: Ixodidae) in Illinois.

Ixodes dammini Spielman, Clifford, Piesman & Corwin was found for the first time in Illinois in November 1987, when two adult females were collected from two deer in Jo Daviess County in the northwestern corner of the state. In 1988, in a study of six state parks in northern Illinois, questing adults and nymphs were encountered in one park in Ogle County. During the firearm deer hunt in November 1988, adult female and male ticks were found in several counties, with a high rate of infestation (greater than 25%) in two counties (Ogle and Rock Island) along the Rock River, which flows from Wisconsin into the Mississippi River. Several cases in humans with no history of travel outside of the state have been reported, primarily from northern Illinois. We suspect that infiltration of infected ticks and wildlife from Wisconsin is resulting in the emergence of Lyme disease in Illinois. Because all the components necessary for the completion of the tick life cycle and for the transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi are available throughout much of the state, I. dammini and Lyme disease can spread and become established in large portions of Illinois.

Environmental contamination by eggs of Toxocara species.

A study was conducted to determine the level of contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs in parks and playgrounds in several central Illinois communities. A total of 135 composite 50-g soil samples were collected from 23 parks and public places in three cities in central Illinois. Of these soil samples, 22 (16.3%) contained from one to thirteen Toxocara spp. eggs. A total of 40 fecal samples were collected from the same parks. Toxocara spp. eggs were found in two (5%) of the samples.

Ivermectin treatment of horses: effect on the distribution of lawns and roughs in horse pastures.

A study was carried out to assess the feasibility of determining the grazing patterns of horses bimonthly via aerial survey and standard cartographic techniques. The grazing patterns in pastures with equivalent stocking rates of horses treated bimonthly with 200 micrograms of ivermectin kg-1 or 10 mg of oxibendazole kg-1 was assessed using aerial survey mapping performed three times during a grazing season. The distribution patterns of lawns and roughs in pastures were similar at all times during the study. Aerial survey was determined to be a very efficient and objective method of determining the composition of pastures grazed by horses.

The sporulation time of Isospora suis oocysts from different sources.

Feces containing Isospora suis oocysts were collected from naturally- and experimentally-infected pigs from four different areas of the United States. The unsporulated oocysts were cleaned, concentrated, mixed with 2.5% aqueous potassium dichromate solution, poured into petri dishes to a depth of 5 mm, and incubated at 25 degrees C. The oocysts were examined with a microscope at 12 h intervals and the stages of sporulation present were counted. Although a few oocysts were completely sporulated after 12 h of incubation, in most fecal samples the majority of the oocysts were not completely sporulated until 24 or 36 h. In the present study, the sporulation time of I. suis oocysts was considered to be less than or equal to 48 h. There were no major differences in the sporulation times of I. suis oocysts from the different sources.

Controlled efficacy study of the bioequivalence of Strongid C and generic pyrantel tartrate in horses.

The bioequivalence of Strongid C and generic pyrantel tartrate was determined in a controlled study using 30 horses with naturally acquired endoparasitic infections. Three horses were randomly allocated to each of ten replicates based on quantitative nematode and ascarid egg counts and fecal larvae culture results. Horses within each replicate were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. Horses in Treatment Group 1 received only oats; horses in Treatment Group 2 received generic pyrantel tartrate pellets (2.65 mg pyrantel tartrate kg-1) mixed with oats; horses in Treatment Group 3 were fed Strongid C pellets (2.65 mg pyrantel tartrate kg-1) mixed with oats. Horses were treated daily for a 30 day continuous treatment period. At the termination of the study the horses were necropsied and endoparasites recovered, identified, and enumerated. In all instances, no significant difference (P > 0.05) in mean numbers of parasites recovered existed between horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate and Strongid C. Numbers of gastrointestinal parasites recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate or Strongid C were shown to be significantly different (P < 0.05) from numbers of gastrointestinal parasites recovered from non-treated controls for the large strongyles (Strongylus vulgaris, S. edentatus, and Triodontophorus spp.), small strongyles (Cyathostomum spp., Cylicocyclus spp., and Cylicostephanus spp.) and fourth-stage Parascaris equorum. Numbers of adult P. equorum recovered from horses treated with Strongid C were also significantly different (P < 0.05) from those from non-treated controls. Numbers of adult P. equorum recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate were not significantly different (P = 0.0761) from those from non-treated controls. The determination of bioequivalence was based upon the 95% confidence interval of the difference between the mean number of parasites recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate and the mean number of parasites recovered from horses treated with Strongid C. For all instances in which the numbers of parasites recovered from horses treated with either Strongid C or generic pyrantel tartrate were significantly different from the numbers of parasites recovered from non-treated controls, bioequivalence was demonstrated.

Effect of desiccation on the survival of infective Haemonchus contorus larvae under laboratory conditions.

When stored in water at 4 and 20 C, respectively, 42 and 36% of free 3rd-stage, infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus were alive after 256 days. When stored at -95 C, 73% of the free, desiccated larvae died during the 1st half hour and 80% during the 1st half day; thereafter no more died for 255 days, the duration of the experiment. Desiccation protected the larvae against death on storage at temperature below freezing, but it was harmful at temperatures above freezing. H. contortus larvae do not withstand a single episode of desiccation as well as Trichostrongylus colubrformis larvae.

Pulmonary bacterial deposition and clearance during ascarid larval migration in weanling pigs.

Pulmonary deposition and clearance of bacteria were measured in weanling pigs, half of which had been inoculated at age 31 days with larvated Ascaris suum ova. Seven days later, when breathing signs of larval migration were pronounced, all pigs were exposed to aerosolized Escherichia coli (strain B). Then, either immediately after aerosol exposure (for deposition assessment) or immediately after a 120 minute period in filtered air (for clearance), bacteria in the pigs' lungs were counted. Ascarid ova-inoculated pigs did not differ significantly from control pigs for number of bacteria in the lungs after aerosol exposure, but after the 120 minute clearance period they had 7.2 times more than did the control pigs. Thus, in weanling pigs, the breathing-pattern changes that were evident during ascarid-larval migration did not affect pulmonary deposition of inhaled bacteria significantly, but the presence of ascarid larvae in the lungs was associated with impaired pulmonary bacterial clearance.

Evaluation of four forms of oxfendazole against nematodes of cattle.

Oxfendazole, methyl [5-(phenylsulfinyl)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl] carbamate, was evaluated in calves naturally infected with endoparasites. The compound was used as a drench, a paste, a bolus, and as top-dress crumbles at a dosage of 2.5 mg/kg of body weight. The four formulations produced similar effects and were 99% to 100% effective in removing the following adult parasite genera: Haemonchus, Ostertagia, Trichostrongylus. Cooperia, Bunostomum, Oesophagostomum, and Dictyocaulus. Mean efficacy against Trichuris spp varied from 87% to 95%, depending on the formulation used.

Anthelmintic activity of diuredosan in dogs experimentally infected with Ancylostoma caninum and Trichuris vulpis.

The efficacy of diuredosan was determined in dogs experimentally infected with Ancylostoma caninum and Trichuris vulpis. Diuredosan at dosages of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg was 99% effective against A caninum. Efficacies against T vulpis were 88, 85, and 94% at dosages of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, respectively.

Evaluation of albendazole in cattle naturally infected with nematodes.

Albendazole (7.5 mg/kg of body weight) was given to 10 calves naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. Ten similar calves served as controls. The compound provided 99% to 100% efficacy in removing Haemonchus placei, Ostertagia ostertagi, Trichostrongylus axei, T colubriformis, Nematodirus spathiger, N helvetianus, N filicollis, Cooperia oncophora, C punctata, and Oesophagostomum radiatum.

Life cycle of Mesocestoides corti in the dog (Canis familiaris).

Ten Beagle pups were each inoculated per os with 2,000 tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti from mice. The dogs were necropsied at 5-day intervals and the small intestine of each dog was divided into 3 equidistant sections. Adult cestodes were counted and characterized morphologically. The M corti reproduced asexually in the Beagles by longitudinal splitting of the parent scolex, separation of a new individual, and subsequent regrowth of 2 additional suckers on both the parent and newly formed scolices. Five days after the tetrathyridia were given, evidence of parent scolex division was present. The ability of M corti to reproduce asexually in the definitive host enabled rapid proliferation of new organisms, with approximately 53,000 present 45 days after inoculation.

Life cycle of Isospora burrowsi n sp (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) from the dog Canis familiaris.

Exogenous and endogenous stages of Isospora burrowsi n sp from the dog are described. Oocysts were spherical or ellipisoidal and 17 to 22 by 16 to 19 micrometer (mean 20.3 by 17.3 micrometer). Micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granule were not present. Sporocysts were 12 to 16 by 8 to 11 micrometer (mean 14.4 by 9.7 micrometer). Stieda body was absent, but a sporocyst residuum was present. Endogenous stages were in the caudal three-fifths of the small intestine and in the cecum. Mature 1st-generation schizonts (11 to 18 by 9 to 18 micrometer) were present on the 4th day of infection. One day later, mature 2nd-generation schizonts (18 to 35 by 17 to 22 micrometer) were present. Immature gamonts were found 5 days after infection, and unsporulated oocysts were also present later that day. The prepatent period was 6 days, and the mean patent period was 11 days. The oocysts of I burrowsi differ markedly in size from all other Isospora species from dogs, except Isospora ohioensis; however, the endogenous stages of the 2 species differ.

Anti-strongyle activity of a propylene glycol-glycerol formal formulation of ivermectin in horses (mares).

Four groups of 10 horses (mares) each were treated with a 1% solution of ivermectin (200 micrograms/kg of body weight) in a propylene glycol-glycerol formal base orally, a 1% solution of ivermectin (200 micrograms/kg) in a propylene glycol-glycerol formal base via nasogastric tube, a 1.87% paste of ivermectin (200 micrograms/kg) orally, or a 22.7% paste of oxibendazole (10 mg/kg) orally. Fecal examinations were done before treatment and on posttreatment days (PTD) 14, 28, 42, 56, and 70. Strongyle egg per gram counts and sugar flotation fecal examinations were performed. Results of fecal examinations before treatment were similar in all horses. All horses treated with ivermectin had similar percentages of reductions in mean strongyle egg per gram counts after treatment; 100% on PTD 14, 28, and 56 and 93.4% to 98.7% on PTD 70. All ivermectin treatment groups had 0 horses detected as passing strongyle eggs on PTD 14 and 28, 0 to 2 on PTD 42, 3 to 5 on PTD 56, and 8 to 9 on PTD 70. Horses treated with oxibendazole had 99.9%, 99.7%, 92.9% 78.6%, and 54.5% reductions in mean strongyle egg per gram counts and 5, 7, 8, 9, and 9 horses detected as passing strongyle eggs on PTD 14, 28, 42, 56, and 70, respectively. Adverse reactions to treatment were not observed.

Assessment of toxicosis induced by high-dose administration of milbemycin oxime in collies.

Fifteen Collies, previously having mild reactions to ivermectin challenge (120 micrograms/kg of body weight; 20 times the recommended dosage level), were studied to evaluate the effects of milbemycin oxime administration at 5 and 10 mg/kg (10 and 20 times the manufacturer's recommended dosage). Five replicates, comprising 3 dogs each, were formed on the basis of body weight. Within replicates, each dog was randomly allocated to treatment with 5 or 10 mg of milbemycin/kg or served as a untreated control. Dogs were examined repeatedly for signs of toxicosis for 4 days after treatment and daily thereafter. Two of 5 dogs treated at 5 mg/kg (10x) developed signs of mild depression on the day of treatment, but were normal 24 hours after treatment. All 5 dogs treated at 10 mg/kg (20x) developed signs of mild depression and ataxia by 6 hours. Signs persisted for 24 hours in 3 dogs. Two of these dogs also had mydriasis, whereas 3 salivated excessively. All dogs recovered completely by day 2 after treatment. The results of this study demonstrated that Collies sensitive to the effects of 120 micrograms of ivermectin (20x)/kg show similar sensitivity to the effects of milbemycin oxine administered at 10 mg/kg (20x). We conclude that ivermectin and milbemycin commercial formulations have similar margins of safety and that milbemycin toxicosis appears to be dose-dependent in Collies with a demonstrated sensitivity to ivermectin.

Haemonchus contortus infections in Targhee and Targhee-Barbados Black-Belly cross lambs.

Targhee and Targhee-Barbados Black-Belly cross lambs that were raised helminth-free were experimentally infected with 10,000 or 25,000 infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus. There were no significant (P = less than 0.05) differences in results of weight gain, packed cell volumes, numbers of eggs per gram of feces, or numbers of helminths between the 2 groups of lambs.

Activity of uredofos, niclosamide, bunamidine hydrochloride, and arecoline hydrobromide against Mesocestoides corti in experimentally infected dogs.

Uredofos, niclosamide, bunamidine hydrochloride, and arecoline hydrobromide were given at various doses to dogs experimentally infected with Mesocestoides corti. The highest efficacies were obtained with bunamidine hydrochloride and uredofos. Variable results were obtained with arecoline hydrobromide and niclosamide.

Anthelmintic efficacy of avermectin B1a and dihydroavermectin B1a against ovine gastrointestinal nematodes in 1977.

In a critical study, 40 female mixed-breed lambs with experimental infections of Cooperia spp, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Ostertagia circumcincta, T axei, and Haemonchus contortus were allocated to 8 groups in 1977. Groups 1 and 5 served as controls. Groups 2 to 4 were treated orally with avermectin B1a at dosage levels of 25, 50, and 100 micrograms/kg of body weight, respectively. Groups 6 to 8 were given oral dihydroavermectin B1a at dosage levels of 50, 100, and 200 micrograms/kg, respectively. The lambs were euthanatized and necropsied 6 days after treatment. The compounds were greater than 99% effective at all dosage levels.