Causes of swine polyserositis in a high-density breeding area in Italy

We assessed the causes of polyserositis in pigs, categorized by causative agents and ages of animals affected. In a 3-y study, 246 pigs from 80 different farms with recurrent problems of polyserositis, in a high-density breeding area, were submitted for autopsy; 154 pigs with typical fibrinous serosal lesions were sampled for further bacterial and viral investigation. The most common gross lesions were pleuritis and pericarditis (141 of 154; 92%). The animals most affected were weaned pigs (139 of 154; 90%). Haemophilus parasuis and Mycoplasma hyorhinis were the most common bacteria detected and were present at the same rate (85 of 154; 55%). Other bacteria isolated were Streptococcus sp. (44 of 154; 29%), Pasteurella multocida (21 of 154; 14%), Escherichia coli (19 of 154; 12%), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (7 of 154; 5%), and Trueperella pyogenes (4 of 154; 3%). Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV; 119 of 154; 77%) predominated among the viruses detected, followed, with lesser prevalence, by porcine circovirus 2 (40 of 154; 26%) and swine influenza A virus (19 of 154; 12%). Bacterial coinfection and coinfection of bacteria and viruses were common (128 of 154; 83%). A strong positive correlation was found between coinfection by H. parasuis and M. hyorhinis and also by H. parasuis with PRRSV.

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea Virus in Italy: Disease spread and the role of transportation

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea Virus (PEDV) causes watery diarrhoea, dehydration, and a high mortality rate among suckling pigs. Recently, PEDV had a large negative economic impact on the swine industries in Asia and North America. In 2014, PEDV re-emerged in many European countries, but most countries only reported a few sporadic cases. Here, we report the epidemic wave that occurred in Italy from 2015 to 2017. During this time, PEDV was detected by real-time PCR in 438 farms located mainly in the high-density pig production area in Northern Italy. Most of the outbreaks were in farrow-to-finish, farrow-to-wean and finisher farms. Clinical signs were observed mainly in suckling and fattening animals, while mortality rates were higher in piglets, reaching 50%. A sequence analysis showed that a PEDV strain, similar to the OH851 S-INDEL strain isolated in the USA in January 2014, was responsible for the outbreaks in Italy in 2015 and 2016. However, from January 2017, a recombinant variant strain, containing a portion of the Swine Enteric Coronavirus in the S1 gene, spread and almost completely outcompeted the previous nonrecombinant strain. In total, 14.1% of the environmental swabs collected from trucks at slaughterhouses after animals were unloaded tested positive for PEDV before the trucks were cleaned and disinfected, and 46% remained positive after cleaning and disinfection processes were performed. Moreover, environmental swabs indicated that 17.3% of the empty trucks arriving at the farms to load animals were PEDV-positive. This study indicates that trucks can have an important role in the spread of PEDV in Italy.

The role of transportation in the spread of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae in fattening farms

Background

Direct and indirect contact among animals and holdings are important in the spread of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of slaughterhouse vehicles in spreading B. hyodysenteriae between unconnected farms.

Results

Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and Multiple Locus Variable number tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA) were used to characterize B. hyodysenteriae strains isolated from trucks. Before cleaning, 976 batches of finishing pigs transported by 174 trucks from 540 herds were sampled. After cleaning, 763 of the 976 batches were also sampled. Sixty-one of 976 and 4 of 763 environmental swabs collected from trucks before and after cleaning and disinfection operations, respectively, were positive for B. hyodysenteriae. The 65 isolates in this study originated from 48 farms. Trucks were classified into five categories based on the number of visited farms as follows: category 1: 1–5 farms, category 2: 6–10 farms, category 3: 11–15 farms, category 4: 16–20 farms, category 5: >21 farms. Although the largest number of vehicles examined belonged to category 1, the highest percentage of vehicles positive for B. hyodysenteriae was observed in categories 3, 4 and 5. Specifically, 90.9% of trucks belonging to category 5 were positive for B. hyodysenteriae, followed by categories 4 and 3 with 85.7% and 83.3%, respectively. The results of MLST and MLVA suggest that trucks transporting pigs from a high number of farms also play a critical role in spreading different B. hyodysenteriae genetic profiles. STVT 83–3, which seems to be the current dominant type in Italy, was identified in 56.25% of genotyped isolates. The genetic diversity of isolated strains from trucks was high, particularly, in truck categories 3, 4 and 5. This result confirmed that MLST and MLVA can support the study of epidemiological links between different B. hyodysenteriae farm strains.

Conclusions

This study highlights the potential role of shipments in B. hyodysenteriae spread. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of strict vehicle hygiene practices for biosecurity programmes.

Therapy of Oral Lichen Planus with Monochromatic Excimer Light

Oral lichen planus can cause considerable inconvenience to the patient and is often resistant to the various therapeutic options used, tending to become chronic. The monochromatic excimer light 308 nm is UVB radiation generated and has already been used with good results in the treatment of psoriasis, vitiligo and, less frequently, lichen cutaneous. The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical efficacy of monochromatic excimer light in the treatment of symptomatic oral lichen planus. Twenty patients were treated weekly with single phototherapic sessions. The therapy was suspended on achieving a total score of gravity at least 35% or less than the score of departure. At the end of the study scoring on the size of lesions, intensity of white, intensity of erythema, grade of sick oral gingiva, for both gingival and non-gingival lichen was improved. The statistical processing found a highly significant reduction in post-therapy (p< 0002) of all subjective manifestations tested. Side effects were not observed. Our study shows that monochromatic excimer light 308 nm would appear to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for oral lichen planus and could represent a new additional therapeutic strategy.

Characterization of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae isolates from Italy by multilocus sequence typing and multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis

AIMS

To evaluate and compare the capabilities of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) techniques to characterize Brachyspira hyodysenteriae isolates and to investigate the relationship between pleuromutilin resistance and genetic variability.

METHODS AND RESULTS

MLST genotyping was performed on 180 B. hyodysenteriae isolates, and the results were evaluated considering profiles from 108 other strains previously reported in the database. In total, 37 sequence types were obtained. The MLVA approach completely characterized 172 strains and grouped the isolates into 22 different profiles. The combination of MLST and MLVA showed a slight increase in the discriminatory power, identifying 33 joint profiles. An antibiotic resistance analysis showed a reduction in the susceptibility to pleuromutilins over time, and a weak association between susceptibility to valnemulin and inclusion in clonal complex 4.

CONCLUSION

MLST and MLVA are reliable methods for characterizing B. hyodysenteriae strains and they have comparable discriminatory power.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The genotyping of B. hyodysenteriae isolates and a database of all the genetic profiles collected during the diagnostic activities could support traditional epidemiological investigations in identifying infection sources and routes of transmission among herds, and in developing more effective control measures.

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Shedding and Antibody Response in Swine Farms: A Longitudinal Study

The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes an acute and highly contagious enteric disease characterized by severe enteritis, vomiting, watery diarrhea, and a high mortality rate in seronegative neonatal piglets. In the last few years, PED had a large economic impact on the swine industries in Asia and the US, and in 2014, the PEDV also re-emerged in Europe. Two main PEDV variants circulate worldwide but only the S INDEL variant, considered a mild strain, is spreading in Europe. To gain insights into the pathogenicity of this variant, its viral load and temporal shedding pattern were evaluated in piglets from infected farms. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) targeting the spike gene, was validated according to the minimum information for quantitative real-time PCR experiments guidelines. The qPCR was applied to longitudinal studies conducted in four swine farms naturally infected with the PEDV S INDEL variant. Clinical data, fecal swabs, and blood samples were collected from 103 piglets at 15-30-day intervals for 2-5 months. On all four farms, diarrhea was observed in sows during gestation and in farrowing units, and the mortality rates of piglets were 18, 25, 30, and 35%. Different clinical pictures (0-50% of diarrhea positivity), viral titer levels (mean 5.3-7.2 log10 genome copies/mL), and antibody conditions (30-80% of positivity) were registered among sows on the four farms. The percentage of qPCR positive piglets varied greatly from the beginning (63-100%) to the end (0%) of the infection course. Clinical signs were present in 96% of the qPCR positive animals. Viral loads ranged from 8.5 log10 to 4 log10 genome copies/mL in suckling pigs at 3-6 days of age and were not statistically different among farms, despite the different patterns observed in sows. After 2-3 weeks, only a few piglets still showed detectable viral levels and clinical signs, and they developed antibody responses. Moreover, co-infections with other pathogens and biosecurity procedures limiting the circulation of the virus could have influenced the severity of PED infection. QPCR and clinical data were useful in understanding the dynamics of PEDV infections and, therefore, in implementing appropriate control measures.

Infectious agents identified in aborted swine fetuses in a high-density breeding area: a three-year study

Reproductive failure in sows is one of the most important factors affecting pig breeding. Many reproductive disorders are linked to both environmental factors and infectious agents. The goal of our study was to determine the presence of pathogens that are known to cause abortion, considering a set of conditioning factors, such as seasonality and pregnancy period. A large number of aborted fetuses (1,625 fetuses from 140 farms) from a high-density breeding area in northern Italy was analyzed for a period of 3 years. The pigs were diagnosed based on direct (culture, PCR) or indirect (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) evidence. An infectious etiologic agent was found in 323 of 549 cases of abortion (58.8%). These included viral agents (Porcine circovirus-2, 138/323; Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, 108/323; porcine parvovirus, 20/323; pseudorabies virus, 6/323; and Encephalomyocarditis virus, 3/323) and bacteria (Escherichia coli, 64/323; Streptococcus sp., 63/323; Staphylococcus sp., 5/323; Pasteurella sp., 3/323; Shigella sp., 1/323; and Yersinia sp., 1/323). This study describes the prevalence of infectious agents involved in reproductive failure in a high-density swine population. The data can be useful to swine breeders, practitioners, and medical specialists in monitoring animal health and in supervising the breeding process.

Inactivated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium monophasic variant (S. Typhimurium 1,4,[5],12:i-) in sows is effective to control infection in piglets under field condition

The monophasic variant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, namely Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i-, has been increasingly responsible for foodborne human cases of disease and is most frequently detected in pork, since the variant is widely spread in pig farms. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an autologous vaccine in decreasing the prevalence of Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i-, in pigs. The trial was performed in a multisite pig production system of Northern Italy. The autogenous vaccine was prepared from the Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i- strain isolated from the clinical case occurring in the Farm. Different immunization protocols were applied, ranging from interventions only in sows or piglets, or both. Microbiological analysis was performed to assess faecal shedding in sows and their offspring from birth till end of the production cycle and organ colonization of slaughtered pigs. Body weight of pigs was recorded at different time-points. Humoral immune response was evaluated in serum samples of sows and piglets. S. Typhimurium 1,4,[5],12:i- determines reduction of animal growth and farm production, furthermore, contamination of carcasses at the slaughterhouse. The load of bacteria entering into the food processing chain is differently influenced by the regimen of administration of inactivated vaccine. In particular, a combined vaccination of sows and their offspring was able to improve the weight gain of growing pigs, to limit Salmonella colonization of organs and to reduce the number of carrier pigs, and hence lowering the risk of introducing Salmonella organisms in the slaughter process.

Canadian Drug Regulatory Framework

The role of regulatory drug submission evaluators in Canada is to critically assess both the data submitted and the sponsor's interpretation of the data in order to reach an evidence-, and context- based recommendation as to the potential benefits and potential harms (i.e., risks) associated with taking the drug under the proposed conditions of use. The purpose of this document is to outline the regulatory framework in which this assessment occurs, including: defining what “authorization to market a drug in Canada” means, in terms of the role of the sponsor, the responsibility of Health Canada in applying the Food and Drugs Act prior to and after marketing authorization, and the distinction between regulatory authorization versus physician authorization; highlighting organizational, process and legal factors within Health Canada related to authorization of clinical trials and authorization to market a drug; considerations during the review process, such as regulatory and scientific issues related to the drug, patient populations and trial designs; application of international guidelines, and decisions from other jurisdictions; regulatory realities regarding drug authorization, including the requirement for wording in the Product Monograph to accurately reflect the information currently available on the safe and effective use of a drug, and that hypothesis-confirming studies are essential to regulatory endorsement; current issues related to the review of therapies for dementia, such as assessing preventative treatments, and therapies that have symptomatic versus disease-modifying effects, statistical issues regarding missing data, and trial design issues.

Minor salivary gland inflammation in Devic’s disease and longitudinally extensive myelitis

Devic’s disease is often considered as a variant of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, evidence suggests that Devic’s disease may be distinct from MS. Devic’s disease can coexist with connective tissue diseases, particularly Sjögren’s disease, but this association is rare with MS. Diagnosis of Sjögren’s disease in patients with neurological symptoms is often difficult. During early stages of Sjögren’s disease, patients may not fulfill all criteria for Sjögren’s disease. A high percentage of patients with Sjögren’s disease have inflammatory infiltrates in minor salivary glands, and this may be a reliable indicator of early or subclinical disease. We show high prevalence (80%) of salivary gland inflammation in Devic’s disease and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM). We diagnosed 16 patients with Devic’s disease, and 2 of these satisfied criteria for Sjögren’s disease as did 2 of 9 patients with LETM. Anti-SSA/B titers were infrequently elevated. Although most did not satisfy criteria for Sjögren’s disease. 9 of 12 Devic’s disease patients and 7 of 8 LETM patients had severe salivary gland inflammation. Thus: (1) patients with Devic’s disease or with LETM who have positive labial biopsies but do not satisfy criteria for Sjögren’s disease could have subclinical Sjögren’s diseases. Alternatively, (2) as patients with Devic’s disease have elevated titers of several autoantibodies, so there may exist a set of antibodies that react with antigens in minor salivary glands and cause inflammation. Minor salivary gland biopsy is more sensitive than anti-SSA/B serology in providing histological evidence for possible Sjögren’s disease with CNS lesions.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons administered in humans by dermal route increase total IgE

Inhalation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) extracted from diesel exhaust particles (DEP) enhances local (nasal) production of IgE in humans. The aim of the present research is to investigate whether in humans dermal exposure to PAHs which are not extracted from DEPs increases serum IgE, and whether host factors modify the immunologic effect. In thirty-two patients with acute psoriatic lesions, a cream containing 3% of coal tar (which holds a variety of PAHs) was applied to the skin for 24 hours. Serum IgE were measured before (IgE0) and four (IgE4) and eight (IgE8) days after application. Replicated means were compared by analysis of variance for repeated measures and by the Newman-Keuls' test. IgE0, IgE4 and IgE8 were 151.19, 159.69 (a 6% excess) and 170.90 kU/L (a 13% excess) respectively; pairwise comparison showed IgE8 was significantly higher than IgE0 (p<0.05). At multiple linear regression analysis, the percentage increase in serum IgE across observation days was the dependent variable against age, sex, cigarettes/day, urinary 1-pyrenol, atopy, skin area treated, and grams of cream. Of the independent variables, only age had a significant (p<0.028) influence: the younger the age, the higher the IgE response to PAHs. We conclude that whatever the source and the route of entry (skin or respiratory tract), PAHs increase total serum IgE, mainly in younger age groups.

Sentinel node role in breast cancer surgery

Radical surgery of breast cancer includes lymphadenectomy of axilla as well as the dissection of the neoplastic tissue. However recently many works have raised doubts on the opportunity of performing routinary axillary dissection, which elevates morbidity risk, in absence of axillary metastases. However, unfortunately, information on axillary lymph node pathology, is not available with any other technique excluding complete dissection and istopathological examination. Sentinel node technique is a new methodology that consents evaluation of lymph node status in the operating theatre. It allows the surgeon to judge on the opportunity of carrying out the lymphadenectomy or not.

[Benign thyroid disease: 20-year experience in surgical therapy]

This retrospective study compares recurrence and postoperative complication rates after isthmo-lobectomy and subtotal thyroidectomy (group I) vs near-total and total thyroidectomy (group II) for benign thyroid disease. Seven hundred and forty-three patients were operated on for thyroid diseases over the period from 1977 to 1998. We considered 202 patients operated on for benign thyroid disease from 1988 to 1998. The follow-up ranged from 1 to 10 years (mean: 3.4 yrs). One hundred and thirty-two patients (65.3%) were operated on for bilateral nodular goitre, 35 (17.3%) for unilateral nodular goitre, 14 (6.9%) for toxic goitre and 21 (10.4%) for thyroiditis. Over the period 1988-1992, 19 patients underwent isthmo-lobectomy and 71 subtotal thyroidectomy (group I). From 1993 to 1998, 39 patients underwent near-total thyroidectomy and 61 total thyroidectomy (group II). The relapse rate was 14.4% in group I, while there were no recurrences in group II (p = 0.000064). Temporary hypocalcaemia was significantly higher (p = 0.000001) in group II (29%) than in group I (2.2%). Within group II, the rate was significantly higher (p = 0.0013) after total thyroidectomy (37.7%) than after near-total thyroidectomy (15.4%). In our experience, near-total and total thyroidectomy are an appropriate approach for preventing recurrence in patients with benign thyroid disease despite the fact that the risk of temporary hypocalcaemia is higher than after less radical surgery. Near-total thyroidectomy and the exercise of all due care in the surgical technique may help to reduce its incidence.

A multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of small-cell lung cancer: the role played by surgery

The authors report their data on 344 cases of small-cell lung cancer treated according to indications with combined chemoradiotherapy and in selected cases with surgical intervention. In patients with limited disease, the results of pharmacologic therapy significantly improve the prognosis only in association with surgery. The role of surgery has been reappraised in the treatment of small-cell lung cancer which appears, nowadays, multidisciplinary.

A rare case of pulmonary neurofibroma: clinical and diagnostic evaluation and surgical treatment

The authors report a rare case of a pulmonary neurofibroma treated by surgical excision. The case report is accompanied by a review of the literature and the discussion of the diagnostic problems posed by neurogenic tumors of the thorax.

[Comparative immunogenicity of 2 antirabies vaccines in a 2-1-1 post-exposure vaccination schedule]

Few trials have compared the Purified Duck Embryo Vaccine (PDEV) and the Human Diploid Cell Vaccine (HDCV) in a post-exposure immunization schedule of 4 shots (2 on day 0 and 1 each on day 7 and 21, or 2-1-1 schedule). A retrospective analysis compared 10 patients with PEDV and 20 with HDCV, who had received the 2-1-1 schedule as well as 20 UI mg/kg of immune globulins on day 0. The median neutralizing antibody titers on day 21 (after 3 doses) and the median of maximum titers until day 90 were higher for HDCV than for PEDV (0.6 IU/ml versus 3.5 IU/ml [p < 0.04] and 2.5 IU/ml versus 5.8 IU/ml [p < 0.03] respectively). Seven patients had not reached the seroconversion titer of 0.5 IU/ml after 3 doses (day 21). These results differ from previous studies showing a 100% seroconversion rate on day 21, and suggest that more studies are required before these 2 vaccines can be used in the 2-1-1 schedule after severe exposure.

Lung microcytoma: a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach

This report is of 26 patients diagnosed with microcytoma of the lung in stages I, II, and IIIa. All patients received surgical treatment as well as postoperative chemoradiotherapy when indicated by stage. Mean survival rates were 16 months for stage 1, 10 months for stage II and 6 months for stage IIIa disease. For many years surgery was considered contraindicated in the treatment of pulmonary microcytoma. Now a multidisciplinary approach is being used in which surgery has a crucial role. Microcytoma of the lung has a poor prognosis due to its early metastasis and rapid growth. It is crucial to have early diagnosis and accurate, consistent staging as the basis for treatment. A review of literature shows that the use of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are all important in treatment of microcytoma. Chemotherapy is successfully utilized preoperatively to improve local control, decrease neoplastic mass, induce histological regression and as postoperative adjuvant therapy. Radiotherapy has been shown to be effective preoperatively to reduce local mass and prophylactically for cerebral metastasis. Surgery is crucial to irradicate the neoplastic mass, improve staging accuracy, decrease the possible selection of neoplastic clones resistant to postoperative therapy, decrease local recurrence and allow less aggressive chemoradiotherapy. We feel the most effective protocol for pulmonary microcytoma includes preoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy when indicated followed by surgical intervention and finally successive adjuvant therapy. The limited number of our cases does not consent a statistically significative conclusion. Our data confirm the importance of the surgical procedure in stages I and II, where according also to other authors, the best results are obtained. Surgical indication in stage IIIa is still discussed due to precocius lymphnode dissemination that significantly affects long-term survival.

Update on prostate cancer screening

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death in men; it is diagnosed in about 1 in 10 men. Significant risk factors include, but are not limited to, race and age; the peak age at diagnosis is the seventh decade. A through screening program, sensitive to the risk factors and targeted to patients with curable prostate cancer, can decrease the rates of mortality and morbidity associated with this disease, without overtreating patients who have latent cancer. Screening methods include annual digital rectal examinations and prostate-specific antigen tests. Staging is important when treatment options are considered and treatment morbidity rate is weighed against disease mortality rate. Research concerning genetics changes and chemoprevention trials of vitamins and hormonal agents are targeted toward primary prevention. Implications for practice should include primary prevention, screening and detection, public education, and monitoring of the disease.

Wernicke's encephalopathy post subtotal extended gastrectomy

Wernicke's encephalopathy, neuropathy caused by a deficiency of thiamine is a syndrome characterized by memory troubles, mental confusion, ophthalmoplegia and nystagmus. The authors present a case that came up in a patient who underwent a subtotal gastrectomy because of malignant neoplasm of the stomach. More or less three months after the intervention the patient's general conditions were considerably declined and characterised by alimentary vomit, sensory obnubilation and neuromuscular deficit. After appropriate diagnostic ascertainments a repetition of the neoplastic disease was to be excluded locally and at a distance. So the authors analysed the different etiopathogenic possibilities to get a better clinical view of the syndrome in the surgical patient.

Cyclosporin A resistance of herpes simplex virus-induced "fusion from within" as a phenotypical marker of mutations in the Syn 3 locus of the glycoprotein B gene

We here report research in which nine strains of Herpes simplex virus (HSV) with fusing activity were investigated in order to establish precise phenotypical markers of mutations in the carboxy terminus of glycoprotein B (gB). The gene region encoding the carboxy terminus of gB was isolated, then cloned, and finally sequenced. Our investigation showed that seven strains have different mutations in the syn 3 locus. We observed no base difference in the gB gene region encoding the carboxy terminus of gB of two other strains. Strains with a mutation in the carboxy terminus of gB induced fusion from within (FFWI) in the presence of Cyclosporin A (CyA) at a concentration up to 150 microM. There are two clusters of mutations correlated with the syn 3 locus and selected in the presence of CyA: One group comprised of amino acid substitutions at position 816, the other of changes at positions 853, 854, and 857. In contrast, the fusion induced by strains with mutations in other syn loci is CyA sensitive. CyA inhibits the FFWI at concentrations of 20-60 microM. The results demonstrate the CyA resistance of HSV-induced FFWI should serve as a phenotypical marker of mutations in the carboxy terminus of gB. Moreover, our investigations revealed that fusion from without (FFWO) does not always serve as a phenotypical marker of mutations in the syn 3 locus. On the one hand, all FFWO-positive strains possess a syn 3 locus mutation, whilst, on the other hand, five strains with mutations in the carboxy terminus of gB are FFWO negative.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Temperature and size of single transparent droplets by light scattering in the forward and rainbow regions

A light-scattering anaysis based on Lorenz-Mie theory shows that the size and refractive index of transparent droplets can be determined by measuring the polarized components of the scattered light at two angles in the forward direction. The horizontally polarized cross section C(HH)(33°) depends exclusively on the droplet diameter, whereas the ratio C(HH)(33°)/C(HH)(60°) is a sensitive function of the refractive index and hence of the temperature. On this basis, a new optical system for measuring the temperature, size, and velocity of transparent droplets has been developed. This system can make possible the determination of droplet temperature within a few degrees centigrade. In addition, a critical review of the rainbow method to determine droplet temperature is also presented. These techniques have been applied to vaporizing tetradecane droplets (D(0) = 72 µm), which are heated up in a tube furnace with a temperature range of 20°-200 °C.

The carbamyl phosphate synthetase promoter contains multiple binding sites for C/EBP-related proteins

The promoter of the gene (CPS) encoding rat carbamyl phosphate synthetase I has been mapped 5' to a segment of about 525 nucleotides upstream from the transcription start point and, when analyzed in liver nuclear extracts, contained six well-defined protein-recognition elements, designated CPS sites I-VI. All six elements were recognized, with varying affinities, by CAAT and enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP alpha) produced in bacteria. Oligodeoxyribonucleotides corresponding to CPS site II or to the C/EBP alpha-recognition element of the ALB promoter, site D, competed with the six CPS-promoter elements in footprinting assays. However, mutagenesis of the C/EBP alpha-recognition element, 5'-GTTGCAAC, at the core of site II was sufficient to abolish transactivation of the CPS promoter by C/EBP alpha in co-transfected HepG2 cells. These findings indicate that the CPS promoter contains multiple recognition elements for factors with DNA-binding specificities similar to C/EBP proteins. Activation by C/EBP alpha, however, requires promoter site II.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (cachectin) stimulates bone resorption in mouse calvaria via a prostaglandin-mediated mechanism

Recombinant human (h) and murine (m) tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha stimulated bone resorption and the production of prostaglandin (PG) E2 in neonatal mouse calvaria in organ culture. In experiments of 72-h duration, the effect on bone resorption was of large magnitude (an average increase in medium calcium of 3.3 mg/dl above control values in 11 separate experiments) and occurred over a concentration range of 0.1-20 ng/ml mTNF and 0.5-50 ng/ml hTNF. Accompanying the TNF-enhanced release of bone calcium there was enhanced accumulation of PGE2 in the culture medium. The increases in medium calcium and PGE2 were both inhibited completely by nontoxic concentrations of 4 different PG cyclooxygenase inhibitors (indomethacin, piroxicam, ibuprofen, and acetylsalicylic acid) but not by the noncyclooxygenase inhibitor salicylic acid. The magnitude of the PGE2 response, but not the calcium release, was less for bones treated with TNF than for those treated with equipotent doses of epidermal growth factor or human transforming growth factors-alpha or -beta, suggesting that the local site of production of PGE2 in bone may be different for TNF than for the other factors. Repeated sc injections of hTNF to intact mice for a 48-h period produced a statistically significant elevation of the plasma calcium concentration. Because TNF is produced by cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage in response to invasive stimuli such as the presence of tumor, our findings indicate that a host factor produced in response to malignant cells can cause enhanced bone resorption. Thus, the concept of the humoral hypercalcemias of malignancy must be expanded to include mediators not produced by the tumor cells themselves.

Palytoxin: an extraordinarily potent stimulator of prostaglandin production and bone resorption in cultured mouse calvariae

Palytoxin, a nonphorbol ester-type tumor promoter, stimulated the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and bone resorption in neonatal mouse calvariae in organ culture. The action of palytoxin on bone resorption occurred at extraordinarily low concentrations; enhanced resorption was regularly observed at 0.5 pg/ml, and the ED50 was 1-2 pg/ml (approximately 3 X 10(-13) M). Palytoxin-induced formation of PGE2 and bone resorption were inhibited completely by indomethacin (200 ng/ml). Concentrations of palytoxin above 10 pg/ml led to progressively decreasing enhancement of bone resorption; by 100-250 pg/ml no stimulation of resorption was observed despite continued high production of PGE2. Treatment with high concentrations of palytoxin (100 or 250 pg/ml) for 24-72 h inhibited cAMP accumulation stimulated by exogenous PGE2 or PTH and inhibited bone resorption induced by PGE2, PTH, or an analog of cAMP. Thus, palytoxin exhibited a biphasic dose-response curve for enhanced bone resorption, with stimulation at low concentrations (0.5-10 pg/ml) and toxic inhibition at high concentrations (greater than 50 pg/ml). Palytoxin is one of the most potent stimulators of bone resorption yet identified.

Alpha and beta human transforming growth factors stimulate prostaglandin production and bone resorption in cultured mouse calvaria

Human alpha and beta transforming growth factors (TGF-alpha and TGF-beta) stimulated the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and bone resorption in neonatal mouse calvaria in organ culture. Significant stimulation of bone resorption by TGF-alpha was observed with a concentration of 0.2 ng/ml (35 pM) and by TGF-beta with 0.2 ng/ml (8.0 pM). Enhanced production of PGE2 and bone resorption stimulated by either TGF-alpha or TGF-beta were both inhibited by indomethacin. We conclude that TGF-alpha and TGF-beta are potent and powerful stimulators of the resorption of mouse bone by a mechanism that involves the enhanced local production of PGE2.