[Weight loss and chronic diarrhea in a 54-year-old man with HIV infection]. / Gewichtsverlust und chronische Diarrhö bei einem 54-jährigen Mann mit HIV-Infektion.

A 54-year-old man presented with a 6-week history of chronic diarrhea and weight loss of 11 kg after returning from a holiday in Thailand. The patient had a 9-year history of an untreated HIV infection. Despite treatment of a culture-proven Shigella enteritis and strongyloidiasis the symptoms persisted. Finally, cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis was diagnosed by colonoscopy. The patient recovered completely after starting antiretroviral and valganciclovir treatment. An additional opportunistic infection with multiresistant pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed.

What is and what will be the need for formally educated optometric technicians?

The number of two-year degree optometric technician programs has drastically decreased in recent years. The main reasons are budget cuts common to higher education institutions and low enrollments. Two explanations for difficulty in maintaining full enrollments are lack of career awareness and low salaries. Are optometrists in private practice aware of this decrease and do they realize how much more difficult it will be in the future to hire formally educated employees? The optometric profession should evaluate its future personnel needs and address how those needs will be met. Time is of the essence since many of the remaining programs face a great risk of closing.

Effects of sequential infestations of Dermacentor albipictus and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) on overwintering beef cows in west-central Texas.

Infestations of winter ticks, Dermacentor albipictus (Packard), observed on mature black Angus cows, reached peak levels in January and diminished through March. Infestations of adult lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.), began in mid-January and increased through May. Cows receiving Ectrin, Taktic, or Deltox treatments on 13 December and 21 February experienced significantly less weight loss and entered the subsequent breeding season with higher average body weight than untreated cows. In a separate study, lactating Brangus and Brangus-cross cows, equally infested by natural populations of these ticks, were provided five supplement treatment regimens, fed individually with quantities adjusted for body weight and condition score. Groups receiving supplementation highest in crude protein and digestible energy lost significantly less weight and experienced the least amount of deterioration in body condition. Performance among these groups was influenced by the amount of digestible energy and the period in which increased levels of digestible energy were fed. Cows receiving the supplement highest in protein coupled with an increase in digestible energy from 10 to 60 Mcal/kg W0.75 on 16 January experienced the smallest average change in condition score and weight parameters.