Establishment and characterization of two new pig cell lines for use in virological diagnostic laboratories.

Two pig cell lines derived from kidney and trachea tissues and referred to as newborn swine kidney (NSK) and newborn pig trachea (NPTr) were established following serial culture of primary cells. They were characterized by an epithelial-like morphology, high capacity to replicate and stability of the cell monolayer for several days after seeding. Their modal chromosome number was modified in comparison to that of primary swine cells and they both displayed a transforming potential in vitro and displayed oncogenicity in nude mice. Infection with pig endogenous retroviruses was detected. Almost all the swine viruses tested, i.e., pseudorabies virus, pig parvovirus, hog cholera virus, transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine, encephalomyocarditis virus, swine vesicular disease virus and the enteroviruses, except pig reproductive respiratory syndrome virus, were capable of replicating in the new cell lines with titres similar to the ones detected in the reference culture systems. Furthermore, all the selected influenza virus sub-types isolated from human, swine and avian species replicated with cytopathic effect in NSK and NPTr cells, whereas, of all the equine influenza viruses tested only the Miami and Suffolk sub-types replicated.

Plasma turnover and excretion of K-strophanthoside-3H in human volunteers after parenteral administration.

Pharmacokinetic parameters of K-strophanthoside-3H, a short-acting cardiac glycoside, were investigated in healthy subjects, patients suffering from heart disease, renal failure and in cholecystectomized patients with a biliary T-tube inserted surgically, after parenteral administration of 250 mug of the glycoside. The healthy subjects, patients suffering from heart disease and those with the biliary T-tube showed a dominant half-time for plasma turnover of the glycoside of 15-16 h after the i.v. route and 18-22 h after the i.m. route and cumulative urinary excretion of the drug over a 24 h period of 37-42% (i.v. route) and 32-33% (i.m. route). The volumes of distribution were lower in patients with heart disease and patients with biliary fistula than in the healthy subjects. In patients suffering from renal failure the dominant half-time of plasma turnover was higher (33 h), while cumulative urinary excretion of the glycoside (12%) and the volumes of distribution were lower than in the healthy subjects. A peak of plasma levels 30 min after i.m. administration of K-strophanthoside-3H leads to the conclusion that this glycoside is rapidly absorbed when injected intramuscularly.

Defective intrinsic fibrinolytic activity in a patient with severe factor XII-deficiency and myocardial infarction.

The paper reports the occurrence of myocardial infarctions in a patient with severe deficiency of blood coagulation factor XII (Hageman factor). Factor XII plays a central role in the intrinsic activation of fibrinolysis and consequently the defective intrinsic fibrinolytic activity detected in the present case casts some doubt on its role in the increased vulnerability to thrombotic accident.