Equine goiter associated with excess dietary iodine.

Naturally occurring goiter cases are described in 2 newborn Arabian foals whose mares were supplemented with excess iodine during the final 24 w of the pregnancy. Six nursing foals and 2 mares were also affected clinically with thyroid hypertrophy. At least 12 times the maximum tolerable level of iodine supplementation was given, as the daily iodine intake for each mare was 299 mg. The prevalence of goiter cases was 2 and 9% in the mares and foals, respectively.

Toxicity of Senecio vernalis to laying hens and evaluation of residues in eggs.

Diets with 0.0, 0.5,2.0, or 4.0% ground-aerIal parts of Senecio vernalis were fed to groups of 10 laying hens for 210 d. Plant alkaloid content was 0.14% with 8.57% in the basic form and 91.43% in the N-oxide form. Specific alkaloids were senecionin (66.65%), senecivernin (10.37%), seneciphylline (8.51%), integerrimine (8.44%), retrorsine (3.03%), senkirkine (2.35%) and hydroxysenkirkine (0.65%). At the end of the feeding period, no mortality or clinical signs occurred in any test group. However, decreases in egg production, feed efficiency, feed intake and body weight occurred on diets containing 2 or 4% of the plant. Serum gamma-GT was significantly elevated and serum albumin and protein were significantly decreased in hens fed the 2 and 4% diets. Total bilirubin was significantly higher in the 4% group. No free pyrrolizidine alkaloids were detected in eggs indicating that at these rates of dietary exposure, they did not produce residues at the level of detection or that they were bound irreversibly to egg proteins. Hens fed 2 or 4% plant diets had mild to moderate chronic liver changes of periportal or septal fibrosis, megalocytosis, bile duct hyperplasia and early regenerative nodule formation.

Toxicity of dietary Heliotropium dolosum seed to Japanese quail.

Five groups of 30 male Japanese quail, each 7-w-old, were fed diets containing 0, 1, 3, 5, or 10% (w/w) of dehulled H dolosum seed. Half of the birds from the each group were killed at 6 and 24 w after beginning of the trial. At the end of 6th w, neither mortality nor clinical sign occurred in test groups. In the 5 and 10% inclusion levels, mild to moderate hepatic injury was detected as evidenced by mild karyomegaly, moderate fatty change, focal or portal fibrosis, bile duct hyperplasie, and ovalocyte proliferation along with lower serum protein and albumin levels. By the termination of the experiment (24 w), 5 birds died in the 10% dosed group. Hepatic cirrhosis was the most prominent finding in the 5 and 10% group; at these levels, serum protein and albumin values decreased significanty while billuribin and ALP levels increased. Based on relative weights and histological evaluations, testicularatrophywasdosedependent. These results partly affirm earlier studies that the quail is highly resistant to the toxic effects of H dolosumseed. However, the resistance to H dolosum is less than Senecio Jacobae and Crotalaria spectabilis when considering tissue injury.

Internal ribosome entry site-mediated translation of a mammalian mRNA is regulated by amino acid availability.

The cationic amino acid transporter, Cat-1, facilitates the uptake of the essential amino acids arginine and lysine. Amino acid starvation causes accumulation and increased translation of cat-1 mRNA, resulting in a 58-fold increase in protein levels and increased arginine uptake. A bicistronic mRNA expression system was used to demonstrate the presence of an internal ribosomal entry sequence (IRES) within the 5'-untranslated region of the cat-1 mRNA. This study shows that IRES-mediated translation of the cat-1 mRNA is regulated by amino acid availability. This IRES causes an increase in translation under conditions of amino acid starvation. In contrast, cap-dependent protein synthesis is inhibited during amino acid starvation, which is well correlated with decreased phosphorylation of the cap-binding protein, eIF4E. These findings reveal a new aspect of mammalian gene expression and regulation that provides a cellular stress response; when the nutrient supply is limited, the activation of IRES-mediated translation of mammalian mRNAs results in the synthesis of proteins essential for cell survival.

Toxicity of dietary Heliotropium dolosum seed to broiler chickens.

Five groups of 20 female broiler chicks were fed different levels of dehulled Heliotropium dolosum seed (w/w%; 0.0, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0 or 10.0%) from 10 to 52 d of age. In all doses the seed caused decreases in daily feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency, and biochemical findings, severity of pathologic changes, and mortality rate increased in a dose-dependent manner. Acute toxicity was observed in livers of chicks fed 10% seed. Other test groups had chronic changes. Livers had massive to submassive necrosis, hepatic megalocytosis, bile duct proliferation, fatty change, and periportal fibrosis. Biochemical evaluations revealed hypoalbuminemia, hypoprotienemia and increased ALP activity and billuribin. The seed of Heliotropium dolosum produced biochemical and specific pathologic changes in broiler chicks, as well as decreased food intake and feed efficiency. Higher seed levels induced more pronounced changes.

The relation between p53 overexpression and lymph node metastases in clinical stage t2 and t3a transitional cell bladder carcinoma.

Mutant p53 protein overexpression is generally associated with poorly differentiated invasive bladder tumors. The survival in such cases is also expected to be poor. The objective of the present study was to determine whether immunohistochemical staining for p53 was predictive of lymph node metastases in early muscle invasive transitional cell bladder cancer. Immunohistochemical staining for mutant p53 was performed on formalin fixed transurethral resection specimens of 31 patients who underwent radical cystectomy. Eleven tumors were grade II and 20 tumors were grade III. There were 16 stage T2 and 15 stage T3a tumors. Staining with p53 was categorised as positive if distinct nuclear staining was observed in > or = 20% of the cells. Results were compared according to grade, stage (T2 versus T3a) and lymph node metastases. Seventeen tumors (55%) were positive for mutant p53. Eleven cases had lymph node metastases which could not be assessed preoperatively. The distribution of p53 positive rate between grade II and grade III cases, and T2 and T3a tumors was not different. All the 11 patients with lymph node metastases had positive tumors for p53. We assume that p53 positive rate can be used to distinguish high risk patients for lymph node metastasis. Patients with stage T2 or T3a and p53 positive bladder cancer should be considered for early aggressive treatment options.

A novel continent cutaneous reservoir: application of appendiceal Mitrofanoff principle to Stanford pouch.

We describe our modification of Stanford pouch orthotopic bladder replacement both by formation of the pouch with absorbable staples (poly-GIA) and diverting it with the appendiceal Mitrofanoff conduit. This operation was performed on two patients with focal invasive bladder cancer--a male patient with bladder extrofia and a patient with a severely contracted bladder due to interstitial cystitis. No operative or postoperative complications were encountered. Follow-up after operation ranged between 6 and 16 months. The functional and cosmetic results of the operation were satisfactory. This operative modification may be considered for the patient requiring cystectomy who is not a candidate for orthotopic bladder replacement.

Conservative management of stage T2 or T3a bladder cancer with deep transurethral resection followed by four cycles of chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the conservative management of stage T2 and T3a bladder cancer with deep (radical) transurethral resection (TUR) followed by four cycles of chemotherapy with methotrexate, vinblastine, epirubicin and cisplatin (MVEC) and its impact on bladder preservation and tumour recurrences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between May 1990 and June 1995, 19 patients with stage T2 or T3a transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder who refused radical cystectomy entered the study. The patients were re-evaluated 4 weeks after completion of the treatment by cystoscopy, TUR of the tumour site and multiple deep bladder biopsies. The patients were maintained on periodic local and systemic surveillance with cystoscopy and deep biopsy every 3 months, and annual intravenous urography and computed tomography. RESULTS: Seventeen patients completed the treatment protocol; 13 patients were tumour-free at the first evaluation after treatment and six of these had tumour recurrences in the bladder during surveillance. Eleven patients retained their bladder in a functional state for a mean duration of 36 months (range 12-62+) and seven of them remain free of recurrence after a mean duration of 41 months (range 8-58+). CONCLUSION: Deep TUR of the bladder tumour followed by four cycles of MVEC chemotherapy is an effective alternative in the conservative management of patients with stage T2 and T3a bladder cancer. We suggest this protocol for patients who refuse or are unsuitable for surgery.

Insects and other pests affecting man and animals in Saudi Arabia.

Survey of the insects and other pests attacking farmers and domestic animals was carried out during three successive years (1968, 1969 and 1970) in the Central province of Saudi Arabia. In this paper, the insects and other pests found were given. Also, location and time of appearance for each pest were mentioned. The pests recorded were 6 species of insects belonging to 5 families and 4 orders attacking farmers; 9 species of insects belonging to 8 families and 4 orders, and 9 species of mites and ticks belonging to 5 families attacking domestic animals.