Nanostrain sensitivity in a wire torsion experiment.

The feasibility of a thin-wire torsion stress-strain experiment with nanostrain sensitivity is demonstrated. A gauge length of 50 m was made possible by using The Monument, London, thereby restoring it to its original purpose as a scientific instrument. A wire of 150 µm diameter was studied using the load-unload method, and data were recorded in the elastic regime and through the elastic-plastic transition. Analysis of this preliminary experiment suggested some necessary improvements to the equipment and methods. Progress towards definitive experiments is described together with difficulties still to be overcome.

Transglutaminase-catalysed cross-linking of proteins phosphorylated in the intact glucose-stimulated pancreatic beta-cell.

Incubation of intact islets in the presence of [32P]Pi and stimulatory levels of glucose followed by separation of phosphorylated islet proteins by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a high molecular weight phosphopolymer which did not transverse a 3% (w/v) acrylamide gel. The majority of this phosphopolymer (approx. 70%) was present in the 600 x g sedimented fraction of islet homogenates. Islet homogenates obtained from intact islets previously incubated with [32P]Pi and stimulatory levels of glucose when incubated under conditions that activated the islet transglutaminase resulted in an increase in the amount of phosphopolymer present in the 600 x g sedimented fraction. Inhibitors of transglutaminase activity which are known to inhibit glucose-stimulated insulin release led to a significant reduction in the fraction of phosphopolymer present in the glucose-stimulated intact islet. These findings suggest that protein cross-linking and phosphorylation reactions may be closely linked in the pancreatic beta-cell.

Primary lymphoma of the small intestine. A clinicopathological study of 119 cases.

Small bowel lymphomas account for 20 to 40% of primary gut lymphomas in Western populations and are among the most common malignant tumours of the small bowel. We studied 119 cases of primary small bowel lymphoma presenting over 4 decades. Two thirds of the patients were men with a peak age incidence in the 7th decade. Common presenting features included abdominal pain, weight loss, small bowel obstruction, and acute abdomen. Tumours were classified using the Kiel European Association for Haematopathology Geneva Workshop scheme and phenotyped on paraffin sections; 66% were B cells, and 34% were T cell. In all cases, the antibodies L26 and polyclonal CD3 reliably distinguished between B- and T-cell tumours. Of the B-cell lymphomas, 62% were diffuse high grade, 20% were low-grade lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, 11% had both low- and high-grade components, and 7% were other low-grade types. Of the T-cell lymphomas, 83% were high grade, and 49% were enteropathy associated. Most T-cell lymphomas were ulcerated plaques or strictures in the proximal small bowel; B-cell lymphomas tended to be annular or polypoid masses in the distal and terminal ileum. Survival data showed that low-grade B-cell lymphomas had the best outcome and T-cell lymphomas the worst. Adverse prognostic features included perforation, high-grade histology, multiple tumours and advanced stage.

Phenylbutazone-induced nephrotoxicity in the rat.

Male Wistar rats showed reduced urinary concentrating ability after 2 weeks' administration of phenylbutazone at 200 mg/kg/day. Male Sprague-Dawley rats showed progressive proteinuria and developed renal papillary necrosis when given phenylbutazone at 200 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks. It is suggested that strain differences exist in the nephrotoxic profiles of rats given high doses of phenylbutazone.

Age-related susceptibility to aspirin-induced nephrotoxicity in female rats.

The effect of puberty on aspirin-induced renal necrosis in female Sprague-Dawley rats was observed. Rats aged 31 days were unaffected by aspirin administration, but 55-day-old rats showed segmental cortical tubular necrosis after a single dose of 1000 mg/kg of aspirin. Urinary gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) and proteinuria were useful non-invasive indicators of these necrotic changes.

Renal toxicity of aspirin to rats pre-treated with ethinyl oestradiol.

Castrated rats receiving aspirin at a dose level of 1000 mg/kg showed necrosis of the proximal convoluted tubules, similar to that seen in female rats, and the extent of this lesion was increased by oestrogen pre-treatment. Urinary gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity was a useful indicator of the necrotic changes induced.

Leiomyoma of the iris in a Sprague-Dawley rat.

A leiomyoma of the iris was composed of bundles of spindle-shaped cells with abundant myoglial fibres and represents the first observation of this rare tumour in a rat.

An equine cryptorchid with testicular and ovarian tissues.

Cytogenetic and histological studies were carried out on an intersex horse which was diagnosed clinically as a cryptorchid. Surgery confirmed the horse to be a bilateral abdominal cryptorchid and histological examination revealed ovarian tissue associated with the left epididymis. Chromosome analysis of cultured cells from testicular tissue, ovarian tissue and skin revealed 64-XX and 64-XY make-up, the left gonad containing a greater preponderance of XX cells over XY cells. The external characteristics and behaviour of the horse were indistinguishable from that of a "routine" cryptorchid. Other cases of equine intersexes are reviewed and theories for the discrepancies between genetic, gonadal and phenotypic sex are discussed.

Effects of transportation, surgery, and antibiotic therapy in ponies infected with Salmonella.

Seventeen ponies were infected with Salmonella typhimurium and then 15 were variously stressed by transportation and/or surgery and 9 were given oxytetracycline. Indications of Salmonella reactivation occurred in all the stressed ponies. Diarrhea due to a reactivation of the Salmonella infection did not develop until greater than 3 days after stress, although maximal shedding of organisms occurred within 24 hours. A neutropenia generally occurred within 24 hours after stress and lasted about 5 days. A rectal temperature greater than 39 C usually did not occur. An increase in serologic titer was noticed in about half of the ponies. Transportation had a major role in reactivating the Salmonella infection, and 1 pony died of peracute colitis. The use of oxytetracycline prolonged the excretion of Salmonella; therefore, this drug should not be used after stress, particularly transportation, in ponies that have diarrhea or are known to be Salmonella carriers.

Intra-articular corticosteroid- and exercise-induced arthropathy in a horse.

Methylprednisolone acetate was injected repeatedly into both intercarpal joints of a horse that had a 3rd carpal bone fracture in 1 limb. Synovial fluid from intercarpal and radiocarpal joints of both limbs were obtained serially for study. Arthropathy developed in the fractured joint following prolonged corticosteroid therapy and exercise. In the corticosteroid-injected normal joint, the hyaluronic acid concentration initially decreased, then increased. A depletion in cartilage matrix was seen at necropsy, 175 days after onset of treatment. Determination of total protein content in synovial fluid gave the earliest indication of impending arthropathy, but viscosity studies in association with determination of hyaluronic acid concentration gave a definitive assessment of joint integrity.

Horner's syndrome: a rare presentation of cervical sympathetic chain schwannoma.

We describe a cervical sympathetic chain schwannoma in a 77-year-old woman who presented with a neck mass and Horner's syndrome. Such schwannomas are rare and this is the first documented case of a Horner's syndrome at presentation. The mass was excised via a cervical approach and her post-operative course was uneventful. The prognosis is excellent, with recurrence being rare. A brief discussion of the pathology, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of this condition is made in this paper. The relevance of the uncertainty in diagnosis is discussed with the message that a pre-operative Horner's syndrome may guide the surgeon in the care of the patient but we suggest that in all cases proper counselling of the possible neurological consequences of this surgery be conducted.

Clinical observations on the use of BCG cell wall fraction for treatment of periocular and other equine sarcoids.

Clinical observations on the use of BCG cell wall fraction in oil for treating seven horses with periocular sarcoids and five horses with sarcoids in other regions are described. Therapy was successful when used for periocular or solitary and smaller sarcoids. For sarcoids previously treated with cryosurgery, therapy appeared to be less efficient. A horse with a sarcoid on the stifle developed a septic gonitis due to necrosis of the sarcoid tissue adjacent to the joint. Sarcoids of the axilla appeared to be more aggressive than sarcoids at other locations and did not respond favourably to this form of therapy.

Clinical course of renal adenocarcinoma associated with hypercupraemia in a horse.

A four-year-old shire mare with haematuria, colic, terminal weight loss and an abdominal mass had a large unilateral renal adenocarcinoma. Clinical signs were monitored for 11 months. Increased serum copper concentrations were measured on two occasions. Hypercupraemia is discussed as a possible paraneoplastic change.

Two cases of equine primary gastric impaction.

The clinical details of two cases of equine primary gastric impaction are described and the syndromes of gastric impaction and dilatation are discussed. Both cases of gastric impaction were successfully treated by gastrotomy and evacuation of the gastric contents.

Prevalence of Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses and ponies in Clwyd, Powys and adjacent English marches.

The prevalence of Anoplocephala perfoliata in 103 horses and ponies from Clwyd, Powys and the adjacent English marches, slaughtered during January 1987, was 69 per cent.

Caecal intussusceptions in horses and the significance of Anoplocephala perfoliata.

A caecocaecal intussusception in a pony and a caecocolic intussusception in a horse, both infected with Anoplocephala perfoliata, are described and the relevance of tapeworms in such intestinal disease of horses is reviewed.

Immunoglobulins in blood serum of foetal pigs.

A total of 1,147 samples of blood serum, collected from porcine foetuses, were examined for the presence of immunoglobulin. The foetuses, from 182 sows, were sampled at abattoirs in Queensland during 1975. For detection and measurement of immunoglobulins, rabbit anti-pig serum and monospecific anti-pig IgG, anti-pig IgM and anti-pig IgA were employed in immunoelectrophoresis, double diffusion and single radial immuno-diffusion assays. Twenty-four foetuses (from 7 litters) had detectable IgG or IgM. None of the samples were positive for IgA. Two of the serums (from siblings) had high antibody titres to porcine parvovirus but in the remainder of the immunoglobulin-positive serums no antibody activity was detected.