Human herpesvirus 6 infection as a risk factor for the development of severe drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome

OBJECTIVES: To test suitability of radiographic evaluation of lung lesions as a substitute for lung lesion scores derived by examination at necropsy in challenge-exposure models of bovine pneumonia. ANIMALS: 10 calves selected by body weight from 20 multiple-source male Holstein calves approximately 1 to 2 months old enrolled in a Pasteurella multocida challenge-exposure study. PROCEDURE: Calves were paired on the basis of weight and randomly assigned within pairs to vaccine or control (saline solution) group. By use of deep tracheal cannulation, calves were challenge exposed with a culture of virulent P multocida, observed for 10 days, euthanatized, and necropsied, and the lungs were scored for pneumonic lesions. Radiographic views of the lung fields of the calves were taken before challenge exposure and before necropsy and were evaluated for alveolar disease by a veterinary radiologist. Lung lesion scores were compared with radiographic evaluations. RESULTS: There was a strong and significant correlation (R2 = 0.91, P < 0.001) between results of the evaluation of postchallenge-exposure radiographs and necropsy results. There also was also strong and significant correlation (R2 = 0.90, P < 0.001) between evaluation of the prechallenge-exposure radiographs and necropsy results. CONCLUSIONS: Radiographic evaluation of lung lesions correlates well with lung lesions found at necropsy. The findings emphasize the need for caution in interpreting the results of challenge-exposure studies of bovine respiratory tract disease in which small numbers of calves are studied.     

A flow cytometric method for counting very low levels of white cells in blood and blood components

Reduction of white cells (WBCs) in blood components may reduce the risk of virus transmission and HLA alloimmunization. Filtration provides a means by which to achieve high-efficiency WBC reduction. A method has been developed using flow cytometry to quantitate the number of WBCs in WBC-reduced packed red cells or platelet concentrates. This method uses a detergent and propidium iodide (PI) solution to label the WBC nuclei and incorporates a known amount of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled chicken red cells (cRBCs) into the mixture as an indicator of the volume examined. The number of observed WBCs per mL is calculated as follows: Number of PI WBC nuclei events/Number of FITC cRBC events x Number of FITC cRBCs added to mixture/Volume of blood in mixture. The method may allow the detection of WBCs at a concentration as low as 0.01 per microliters (10/mL) in a blood sample. It is an efficient method of collecting data, as it requires less than 10 minutes per sample. This flow cytometric technique is suitable for research purposes and for quality control of WBC-reduced blood components, because it is precise and can be used to quantitate WBCs in large or small numbers in a sample.     

Electrical properties and microstructure in the system ceria-alkaline earth oxide

The ionic conduction of oxygen in the ceria-alkaline earth oxide system was investigated as a function of temperature, partial pressure of oxygen and oxide composition, together with its crystal structure, density, and microstructure. Undoped ceria and its solid solution with alkaline earth oxides have a cubic fluorite structure. The ionic conductivity of ceria is greatly enhanced by additions of calcia and strontia, even when they are added in excess of the solubility limit. The conductivities of ceria-calcia and ceria-strontia were much higher than those of calcia-and yttria-stabilized zirconia. Up to the limit of calcia and strontia, the ionic transference number was nearly unity in the temperature range between 600 and 900°C. With an increase in calcia and strontia content, the ionic conductivity was little affected by the presence of a second phase of CaO and SrCeO₃.     

Vitamin E and coenzyme Q concentrations in the thyroid tissues of patients with various thyroid disorders

Chylous fistula complicates 1.1% of all radical neck dissections, and 2.4% of left-sided dissections. The standard treatment of established chylous leak in the reported cases is a pressure dressing applied to the lower neck. Here we present a case of chylous fistula, where conservative methods failed to cope with this complication. The additional application of a fibrin adhesive set was a successful modality of treatment.     

Centrally administered neuropeptide Y (NPY) inhibits gastric emptying and intestinal transit in the rat

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the phasic characteristics of normal human left coronary artery flow and velocity profiles across the vessel. METHODS: The phasic characteristics of flow in the human left anterior descending coronary artery, the centreline flow velocities, and the velocity profiles were measured in 10 patients during corrective surgery for atrial septal defect after closure of the defect. None of these patients had any detectable coronary artery stenosis or left ventricular hypertrophy. Measurements were made with a 20 MHz 80 channel pulsed Doppler velocimeter. RESULTS: The velocity waveform displayed a diastolic-predominant pattern with a systolic to diastolic velocity ratio of 0.29(SD 0.17). Reverse flow was observed in early systole in five patients and in mid to late systole in six patients. The values of peak Reynolds number, unsteadiness parameter, and pulsatility index were 504(198), 2.5(0.6), and 5.9(4.4) respectively. The velocity profiles during diastole showed considerable variability in shape, ranging from symmetrical to skewed to M shaped patterns. The peak wall shear rate was 765(250) s-1 on the epicardial wall of the vessel and 712(301) s-1 on the myocardial wall; the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The velocity waveform displayed a diastolic-predominant pattern. Considerable variability in shape of the velocity profile was found and was perhaps due to the time evolution of the velocity profile within the diastolic time period.     

The liver regenerative response elicited by antisecretory agents in partially hepatectomized rats: a comparison between omeprazole and famotidine

Liver regeneration after omeprazole (OMP) or famotidine (FAM) administration was examined in 66% hepatectomized rats. The regeneration was evaluated by the liver weight as a percentage of body weight (LRR) and the proportion of hepatocytes in mitosis per 1,000 counts (MI). Administration of OMP 0.4 mg/kg per day for 3 or 7 days suppressed LRR and MI 3 and 7 days after hepatectomy. However, the administration of FAM 0.8 mg/kg per day for 3 or 7 days did not change either LRR or MI. Increased gastrin levels in the blood were seen only after OMP administration. The food intake was unchanged by OMP or FAM, but FAM increased water intake. The liver functional score, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and alkaline phosphatase in the blood all increased with OMP, but FAM had no apparent effect on the hepatic or renal function. These observations suggest that a large dosage of OMP suppresses liver regeneration, while FAM appears to have no meaningful effect on regeneration.     

FORMATION OF MULLITE FROM GROUND PRODUCT OF A KAOLINITE-ALUMINUM TRIHYDROXIDE MIXTURE BY SOLID PHASE REACTION

The present paper describes the effect of grinding a kaolinite/aiuminum-trihydroxide mixture using a planetary ball mill on the structure of the ground product and the mean thermal expansion coefficients of samples sintered from the unground and ground mixtures. The size reduction of the mixture predominates in the early stage of grinding and the obtained fine particles aggregate subsequently with an increase in grinding time. The crystal structure of the mixture is collapsed easily into a disordered one, of which amount increases with an increase in grinding time. Only mullite phase was detected in the sintered body of the ground products at relatively lower temperature 1523K except for anatase as an inherent impurity, whereas corundum, cristobalite and Al-Si spinel phases besides mullite were formed in the sintered body of the unground mixture. The thermal expansion coefficients of sintered bodies of the 120 minutes-ground mixture are considerably lower than those of the unground mixture by about 10%. Consequently, the planetary milling enables us to improve the uniform mixing state at the atomic scale resulting in direct formation of mullite with high purity at relatively low temperature with a lower thermal expansion coefficient of the sintered body.     

Rheo-optical studies on the deformation mechanism of semicrystalline polymers. VIII. Dynamic x-ray diffraction of a high-density polyethylene film having row-structure of C-axis orientation

Dynamic x-ray diffraction is employed to scrutinize the structural origin of the α mechanical dispersion of a highdensity polyethylene having preferentially oriented rownucleated cylindritic texture around the machine direction (MD). Results indicate that the α₁ dispersion is associated with two kinds of orientation processes of crystallites: (1) the orientation process involving the rotation of crystallites around the crystal b-axis (lamellar axis) dominates in the MD specimen; (2) the other process accompanying the rotation of crystallites or lamellar segments around their crystal a-axis dominates in the TD (transverse direction) specimen. The complex apparent crystal lattice compliances show no frequency dependence in the real component and no appreciable value in the imaginary component, indicating that the α₁ process is definitely associated with the intercrystalline process, but not relavent to the intracrystal process. However, at elevated temperatures, the complex lattice compliances exhibit a remarkable frequency dependence, suggesting that the α₂ dispersion concomitant to intracrystalline nature takes place in this time scale. The α₂ dispersion was found to be more pronounced upon stretching along the lamellar axis (TD) than normal to it (MD).     

Coolability study on two-bundle scale flow blockage in the reflood process

A two-bundle scale channel flow blockage in the eight-bundle slab core test facility (SCTF) was examined for core cooling capability study in the reflood phase of a PWR-LOCA. The coplanar blockage with 60% blockage fraction resulted in promotion of quench for the elevation immediately above the blockage in relatively high reflood velocity tests. Conversely, this blockage led to delay of quench in low reflood velocity tests. Peak clad temperature, however, was not affected much by the existence of the blockage. These results are examined in comparison with the results of similar small scale test facilities. This examination revealed that the promotion of quench above the blockage was confined to a shorter length but the quench delay time was slightly longer for a large partial blockage than for a small blockage.