Lameness in fattening pigs - Mycoplasma hyosynoviae, osteochondropathy and reduced dietary phosphorus level as three influencing factors: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Multiple diagnostic procedures, their results and interpretation in a case with severe lameness in fattening pigs are described. It is shown that selected diagnostic steps lead to identification of various risk factors for disease development in the affected herd. One focus of this case report is the prioritization of diagnostic steps to verify the impact of the different conditions, which finally led to the clinical disorder. Assessing a sufficient dietary phosphorus (P) supply and its impact on disease development proved most difficult. The diagnostic approach based on estimated calculation of phosphorus intake is presented in detail. CASE PRESENTATION: On a farrow-to-finishing farm, lameness occurred in pigs with 30-70 kg body weight. Necropsy of three diseased pigs revealed claw lesions and alterations at the knee and elbow joints. Histologic findings were characteristic of osteochondrosis. All pigs were positively tested for Mycoplasma hyosynoviae in affected joints. P values in blood did not indicate a P deficiency, while bone ashing in one of three animals resulted in a level indicating an insufficient mineral supply. Analysis of diet composition revealed a low phosphorus content in two diets, which might have led to a marginal P supply in individuals with high average daily gains with respect to development of bone mass and connective tissue prior to presentation of affected animals. Finally, the impact of dietary factors for disease development could not be evidenced in all submitted animals in this case. CONCLUSIONS: Mycoplasma (M.) hyosynoviae was identified to be an important etiologic factor for disease. Other, non-infectious factors, such as osteochondrosis and claw lesions might have favored development of lameness. In addition, a relevant marginal P supply for pigs was found in a limited time period in a phase of intense growing, but the potential interaction with infection by M. hyosynoviae is unknown. The presented case of severe lameness in fattening pigs revealed that three different influences presumably act in pathogenesis. Focusing only on one factor and ignoring others might be misleading regarding subsequent decision-making for prevention and therapy. Finally, clinical symptoms disappeared after some changes in diet composition and anti-inflammatory treatment of individual animals.

Final results of phase II trial of doxorubicin HCl liposome injection followed by bexarotene in advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: High response rates for doxorubicin HCl liposome injection (DLI) in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) have been reported with vague criteria until recently. Approximately 50% of CTCL patients respond to bexarotene (Bex). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A phase II trial was carried out to clarify the true overall response rate (ORR) for DLI and to assess the role of sequential Bex. Patients were treated with DLI 20 mg/m(2) i.v. every 2 weeks for 16 weeks (8 doses) followed by 16 weeks with Bex 300 mg/m(2) orally. Response assessments were carried out after 16 (DLI) and 32 weeks (Bex). Skin responses were measured by the modified Severity-Weighted Assessment Tool (mSWAT) and the Composite Assessment of Index Lesion Severity (CA). RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were treated: stage IV (22, 8 with Sézary syndrome), IIB (10), earlier stage refractory to skin-directed therapies or radiation therapy (5). For 34 assessable patients: ORR 14/34 [41%: partial response (PR) 12, clinical complete response (CCR) 2]. Maximum responses were all seen after 16 weeks DLI. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5 months. There were 22 deaths: 21 of disease and 1 of heart failure. Twenty-seven grade 3 and 5 grade 4 toxic events were observed. CONCLUSION(S): With strict criteria, DLI ORR is among the highest reported for single agents in CTCL. Sequential Bex did not increase the response rate or duration.

C-reactive protein induced activation of MAP-K and RANTES in human renal distal tubular epithelial cells in vitro.

AIMS: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a component of the acute-phase reaction to inflammation, severe tissue injury, and infection. Investigations have shown that CRP concentration is highly increased in the urine during acute renal graft dysfunction and, therefore, may affect tubular cell metabolism. Nevertheless, no data about the effects of CRP on human renal tubular epithelial cells are available. METHODS: Human renal distal tubular cells (DTC) were isolated immunomagnetically and cultured. Cells were stimulated with affinity chromatography pure native CRP from human ascites (10 - 0.001 microg/ml). Phosphorylation of MAP-K was assessed by Westernblot analysis. Release of RANTES and interleukin-6 was evaluated with an enzyme immunoassay. Cytotoxic effects of CRP were determined by a commercially available Live/Dead assay and MTT assay. Effects on cell proliferation were analyzed by a fluorimetric assay. RESULTS: Westernblot analysis clearly showed that CRP activates the MAP-K pathway of DTC. CRP upregulated RANTES expression of DTC in a significant and dose-dependent manner. CRP (10 microg/ml) induced a 12.3-fold upregulation, CRP 1 or 0.1 microg/ml induced a 6.3-/2.8-fold RANTES upregulation, respectively. Interleukin-6 synthesis was not influenced. Cytotoxic, proliferative or apoptotic effects were not observed at the concentrations used. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated an activating effect of CRP on DTC in vitro. In vivo, this effect of CRP might be part of the immune activation cascade during episodes of renal graft rejection or bacterial infections.

Effect of exposure to photographs of thin models on self-consciousness in female college students.

The purpose of this study was to assess the immediate influence of brief exposure to images taken from print media on the general self-consciousness and body self-consciousness of 67 college women. After viewing photographs of either thin female models or control photographs, the women completed the Self-consciousness Scale and the Body Self-consciousness Questionnaire. Although alpha was .45, the college women who looked at images of thin female models gave immediate ratings significantly (p < .001) higher on both general Self-consciousness and Body Self-consciousness than those who looked at control images.

Biosynthesis of cladospirone bisepoxide, a member of the spirobisnaphthalene family.

The biosynthesis of cladospirone bisepoxide (1) was investigated by feeding 13C-labeled acetate to growing cultures of the fungus Sphaeropsidales sp. (strain F-24'707). 13C NMR spectral analysis demonstrated the polyketide origin of both naphthalene units. The origin of two epoxide oxygens was confirmed as from air by cultivation of the strain in an 18O2-enriched atmosphere. The [18O]incorporation pattern into palmarumycin C12 (11), the putative precursor of 1 led to the hypothesis that the carbonyl oxygen of 1 is derived from water by exchange of an oxygen atom. Inhibition of the biosynthesis of 1 with tricyclazole, an inhibitor of the 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin biosynthesis, confirmed the connection of both biosynthetic pathways.

Healthcare reform: it's working in Oregon.

Oregon is beginning to operate a highly controversial program with explicit definitions of coverage. Oregon's Director of the Health Plan, Jean Thorne, has focused on the national and state political attention that Oregon is receiving and knows that "...there are many people who are waiting for us to fail." Thorne has requested that we keep our focus on making major changes to improve the chance that more people in poverty will receive coverage. We continue to believe that the Oregon Health Plan will improve overall healthcare in our state and serve as a blueprint for others to study and improve.

Financial counseling service (outstationed eligibility).

The Financial Counseling Service is a caring service providing financial relief and other resources to an eligible patient or family in a time of crisis. It provides an excellent example of how government and private organizations can work together in a time of diminishing resources to provide better services to patients in need.

Partition of sodium dodecyl sulfate into stratum corneum lipid liposomes.

Synthetic detergents produce deleterious effects on human skin as the result of being taken up by the stratum corneum (SC). The present study aimed to determine to what extent a typical detergent enters the SC lipid lamellae, and what effect this might have on the physical properties of the lipids. These effects were studied in large unilamellar liposomes prepared from SC lipids (50% by weight of epidermal ceramides, 28% cholesterol, 17% free fatty acids, and 5% cholesteryl sulfate) by extrusion through successive polycarbonate filters of decreasing pore size, finally 400 nm. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy and light-scattering particle size analysis indicated a uniform liposome diameter averaging 230 nm. Partitioning of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) into the lipid phase from aqueous buffer solutions was measured using the SC lipid liposomes and [U-14C]SDS. The partition coefficient was 416, 450, and 588 at pH 8.5 and 524, 507, and 807 at pH 7 for three different concentrations (0.1%, 0.02%, and 0.004%) of SDS. This high degree of partitioning into the liposomes is consistent with the high level of SDS partitioning seen in full SC. At the maximum, the SDS represented 18% of the liposomal lipids. Preparation of stable liposomes from SC lipids to which 10% or 20% of SDS had been added confirmed the ability of the liposomes to survive these high concentrations of surfactant. The permeability of the liposomes was enhanced as a result of SDS partitioning into the bilayers, as measured by the increased release of trapped [U-14C]glucose from these vesicles, and by their increased permeability to water in osmotic shock experiments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Kinetics of drug decomposition. Part 62. Kinetics of penicillin G potassium salt (PGP) thermal degradation in solid phase.

The kinetics of degradation of penicillin G K salt (PGP) in solid phase in the temperature range 70-140 degrees C were investigated. The obtained sigmoidal curves were interpreted in terms of the Prout-Tompkins kinetics. The appropriate mathematical equations were derived for the induction and acceleration periods which enable to calculate the degradation half-time, t0.1 value and the induction time (t'). The Arrhenius plot shows the isokinetic point where the rates of reaction for both periods are identical.

[Role of the "Marriage and Family" Section in the field of family planning in the German Democratic Republic]. / Die Rolle der Sektion "Ehe und Familie" bei der Durchsetzung der Familienplanung in der DDR

PIP: Founded in 1963, the marriage and family planning department under the leadership of its chairman, K.H. Mehlan has grown in its number of members (220) and in its sphere of activities. With the help of the Health Department it has increasingly taken on the responsibility of implementing family planning programs in the German Democratic Republic. Laws concerning abortion and sterilization were liberalized to women's advantage and a serious attempt was made to provide new, effective mechanical, chemical, and hormonal contraceptives. Marriage and Sexual Counseling centers were set up throughout the country. From 1965 on development conferences were held annually in Rostock. A major propaganda compaign for family planning was initiated with national and local press specials, television and radio programs, and lectures and conferences throughout the republic. In 1967 the department was accepted in the IPPF. In 1968 the department was given status as a separate and independent one. In 1971 demography and fertility were included in the curricula of the medical schools. Specialized organizations concentrated on training and further education of family planning workers and specialists. In 1971 an international seminar was held to discuss family planning in socialist countries, and in 1972 abortion was legalized and an attempt was made to instruct youth in the most effective methods of contraceptives.^ieng