Clinical case of the month. Metastatic endocarditis: clinical observation and review of the literature

The authors describe a case of metastatic endocarditis associated with a gastric carcinoma. The diagnosis was made early and the treatment by surgery and chemotherapy allowed a survival of 18 months, which is unusually long. The differential diagnosis is discussed and includes nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis, infectious endocarditis and primary tumors of the heart.     

Population pharmacokinetics of nitroglycerin and of its two metabolites after a single 24-hour application of a nitroglycerin transdermal matrix delivery system

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether oxytocin exists in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of dogs and whether the amount of oxytocin in the CSF of dogs with neck or back pain caused by spinal cord compression is significantly different than that in the CSF of clinically normal dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective controlled study. ANIMAL POPULATION: A total of 15 purpose-bred beagles and 17 client-owned dogs. METHODS: CSF was collected by needle puncture of the cerebellar medullary cistern after induction of general anesthesia. Oxytocin levels within the samples were determined through radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Dogs with spinal cord compression had significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than the clinically normal dogs (13.76 +/- 2.0 pg/mL and 3.61 +/- 0.63 pg/mL, respectively; P < .0001). Dogs with chronic signs (>7 days) had significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than dogs with acute signs (<7 days) (21.60 +/- 0.86 pg/mL and 6.80 +/- 0.81 pg/mL, respectively; P < .0001). Both acutely and chronically affected dogs had significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than the controls (P < .005 and P < .0001 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Dogs with neck and back pain caused by spinal cord compression have significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than clinically normal dogs. Dogs with chronic clinical signs have significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than dogs with acute clinical signs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In humans, intrathecal injection of oxytocin is effective in treating low back pain for up to 5 hours. Intrathecal oxytocin may be a logical choice for perioperative analgesia in dogs undergoing myelography because the intrathecal space is accessed for injection of contrast agent.     

The effect of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on acute rejection and cardiac allograft blood flow in rats

For six weeks, recipient (Lewis RT11) and donor rats (LBNF11/n) were fed three diets that varied only in their lipid content. Diet A (MO) contained 19.5% menhaden oil and 0.5% safflower oil and was rich in omega 3 PUFA; diet B (SO) was 20% safflower oil rich in omega 6 PUFA; and diet C (BT) was 20% beef tallow rich in omega 9 monounsaturated fatty acids and saturated fat. In the first set of graft survival studies a group fed laboratory chow was included (CHOW). Heterotopic cardiac transplantation from donor to recipient animals was performed after the six-week feeding period. The effect of these diets on cardiac allograft survival, mixed lymphocyte response, and blood flow in the rejecting grafts was investigated. The median graft survival in days was significantly prolonged in the rats maintained on either MO (12 days) or SO (14.5 days) compared with the BT (8 days)-or lab chow (7.5 days)-fed animals (P < 0.05). Cyclosporine (CsA) administered at subtherapeutic levels further increased the differences between the PUFA-fed animals and the BT-fed group. The myocardial blood flow of the rejecting allografts was measured using an 85Sr-labeled microsphere technique on the fifth posttransplant day. Flow was greatest in the MO-fed group, and both MO and SO groups had significantly higher myocardial blood flow than BT-fed rats (P < 0.05) or those bearing isografts. The allogenic mixed lymphocyte responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and splenic lymphocytes were suppressed in MO- and SO-fed groups compared with BT-fed animals. The immunosuppressive effect of dietary PUFA warrants further investigation, and their use as a possible adjunctive treatment in organ transplantation should be considered.     

Duodenoesophageal reflux induces esophageal adenocarcinoma without exogenous carcinogen

Central nervous system (CNS) disease is a major feature of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of macaques. To define the spectrum of CNS lesions in SIV-infected macaques and the potential associations with viral strain and disease course, we performed a retrospective analysis of necropsies on 124 macaques with SIV-induced AIDS. Histologic evidence of CNS disease was observed in 71 (57.3%) of the 124 animals. SIV encephalitis was the most common CNS lesion occurring in 43.7% (31/71) of the animals with CNS disease and 25% of all animals. The incidence of SIVE correlated significantly with shortened survival (P=0.0207). In addition, SIVE was seen in 42.9% (15/35) of rapid progressors (animals that died within 200 days) compared to only 18% (16/89) of normal progressors (animals that lived longer than 200 days) (P=0.011). Animals with SIVE had higher viral loads in peripheral blood than those that did not, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Similarly, while animals infected with uncloned SIVmac251 had a higher incidence of SIVE (27.5%; 14/51) than animals infected with molecularly cloned SIVmac239 and its T-cell tropic derivatives (18.5%; 10/54) this difference was not statistically significant. In this study rapid disease progression and SIVE were highly correlated making separation of viral determinants of virulence from those of neurovirulence difficult.     

E1A second exon requirements for induction of target cell susceptibility to lysis by natural killer cells: implications for the mechanism of action

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) at a dose of 1 to 300 micrograms/kg/day was administered intravenously to rats daily for 13 weeks. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity increased dose-dependently with leukocytosis. Most of the increased leukocytes were segmented neutrophils, and neutrophil alkaline phosphatase (NAP) scores were elevated markedly. Serum ALP activity correlated very well with the segmented neutrophil counts, and the coefficient of correlation was more than 0.97 in both sexes. Pathological examinations revealed splenomegaly and a marked increase in neutrophils in the red pulp of the spleen. In the spleen, phagocytosis of neutrophils by macrophages was observed. These data indicate that the increased ALP was of neutrophil origin. Serum ALP activity may be increased by the direct release of ALP from the high number of neutrophils into the blood, or by the leakage of ALP into the blood mainly from the spleen where many neutrophils are pooled and destroyed by the macrophage system.     

Questionnaire development: an examination of the Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire

This paper describes the outcome of user trials of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire which encompassed the views of the following groups: data entry clerks, technical staff, administrative clerks and 481 subjects employed in 10 supermarkets. A significant number of improvements was identified, especially concerning its wording, layout and administration. This has led to a standardized version being produced for use in studying the prevalence of reported symptoms in many types of occupational groups.     

The use of video image analysis for quantitative measurement of visible fat and lean in meat: Part 4- application of image analysis measurement techniques to minced meats

The quantitative measurement of fat in minced meat by video techniques has, to date, been impractical due to the nature of the raw material and camera limitations in particle resolution. The latter have been enhanced by improving the optical system and by illuminating the meat with a limited wavelength ultraviolet light source. Problems with fat smear and drip stain, causing over- and under-estimation of fat, respectively, have been overcome by better control of mincing conditions. Tempering of the meat to between -2°C and -5°C before mincing gave the best results. The level of fat detection was unchanged for up to 20 min after mincing, but, by 2 h, the initial value had fallen by 50%. Magnifying the field of view, thus reducing the sample size measured by 50%, did not adversely affect results with 4mm-10mm diameter mince. The system could not accurately resolve mince below 4 mm. Estimation of total lipid from video data using prediction equations was in good agreement with chemical analysis (r=0·99 for 10mm mince, r=0·95 for 4 mm mince). Video image analysis (VIA) can now be effectively extended to areas of meat processing using particulate meats.     

DRY-RO membranes from cellulose acetate carbamates

Cellulose acetate carbamates (CACs) are the polymers which result when organic isocyanates are reacted with the free hydroxyl groups of cellulose acetate (CA). CACs are more hydrolytically stable and exhibit physical properties which are superior to those of their CA mixed ester analogs. Two synthetic approaches to CACs have been utilized in this study: (1) preformation, i.e., separate synthesis of such polymers prior to their inclusion in solutions for membrane casting; and (2) in situ formation, i.e., the inclusion of blocked isocyanates in standard dry process casting solutions of CA followed by thermal activation of the resultant dry membranes leading to regeneration of free isocyanate and subsequent CAC formation. Preformed CAC polymers have been prepared utilizing phenyl-, 3-chloropropyl-, 3-bromopropyl-, and 3-bromopropyl-(isothio)-, isocyanates. Polymers containing omega-halocarbamate moieties were quaternized with dimethylbenzylamine to produce ionogenic (QCAC) polymers containing quaternary ammonium groups. DRY-RO membranes from the QCACs exhibit flux/rejection values varying between 6–8 gfd at 98% rejection and 20 gfd at 90% rejection (0.5% NaCl feed at 400 psi and 25°C). In situ formation of CAC membranes has been effected with tolylene- and hexamethylene-diisocyantes, with quaternized isocyanate monomers employed for the preformed CAC polymers, and with specially tailored diisocyanates containing ionogenic groups. Crosslinking rendered all of the membranes acetone insoluble. Inasmuch as in situ formation substitutes the easy synthesis of blocked isocyanate monomers for the more difficult separate synthesis of preformed CAC polymers, it is anticipated that the former will replace the latter.     

改进型剪切应力图示法轮胎分析

改进型剪切应力图示法轮胎分析ＪｏｈｎＷ．Ｎｅｗｍａｎ著贺海留编译黄小安校自６０年代后期以来，激光技术就是轮胎制造和翻新过程中致命缺陷与工艺偏差的一种有效检测手段。多年来全息摄影在轮胎脱层、粘合不佳、胎圈区气泡和其它许多有关粘合结构缺陷的检测上一直是最...