Soybean seed growth in response to long-term exposures to differing oxygen partial pressures.

Short-term studies have indicated that alterations in the oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)) around developing soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) seeds may alter seed growth characteristics.

Alcohol, pregnancy, and prostaglandins.

Basic scientists and clinicians alike are in agreement that children of alcoholic mothers are at risk for a variety of birth defects. These defects have been labeled fetal alcohol syndrome or, in a milder form, fetal alcohol effects. Prevention or therapeutic intervention of this disorder requires an understanding of the mechanism of action of alcohol on the developing fetus.

Central nervous system prostaglandins and ethanol.

There is growing interest in the effect of ethanol on cellular membranes, generally, and neuronal membrane systems, in particular. Perturbations of membranes have led to numerous enzymatically mediated processes, one of which is prostaglandin production. This paper reviews the nature and role of prostaglandins in the central nervous system, and what is known about the effect of ethanol on prostaglandin production in brain.

Papovavirus-like infection in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus).

Outbreaks of a disease in two budgerigar aviaries caused 20% and 53% mortality respectively in recently hatched chicks during the 1985 breeding season. Clinical signs were first observed at 5 to 7 days of age. In most birds darkening of the normal skin colour was followed by death in 2 to 10 days.

An unusual intracellular infection in ducks.

An infection causing mortality was encountered on seven occasions in Muscovy (Cairina moschata) and domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domestica). In all cases the principal lesion was a severe pneumonitis associated with the presence of numerous organisms in the cytoplasm of the blood capillary endothelial cells. Cultural examination for bacterial and fungal agents consistently failed to yield significant isolates.

Observations on femoral head abnormalities in broilers.

Detachment of the proximal femoral cartilaginous epiphysis was observed in broilers that were being down-graded at slaughter as a result of haemorrhage into thigh musculature. A traumatic aetiology is proposed with injury occurring at catching. Examination of field case material, and birds culled from a commercial flock of the same strain, revealed that physeal lesions are not infrequent in proximal femora.

Alcohol as a teratogen: a decade of research in review.

The teratogenicity of ethanol has been well-documented during the past decade in clinical cases as well as animal models. It has become clear that, short of spontaneous abortion, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome represents the most serious consequence of sustained heavy drinking throughout pregnancy. The overall incidence of FAS is about 1-2/1000 live births, although it is considerably higher if one only considers alcoholic women who continue to drink during pregnancy.

Malignant tumours of the tongue in young adults. Experience of a secondary referral centre.

Twenty-three cases of malignant tongue tumours in patients aged 15 to 30 are reported. Treatment and prognosis in the 18 for which follow-up information is available are discussed. The disease appears to be very similar to that in older subjects except for a greater incidence of neck node metastases.

Tendon lesions in broiler fowls.

Tendon lesions have been studied in 35 broiler or broiler breeder fowls. Tendon rupture most commonly affected the gastrocnemius and flexor muscles but was also seen in cranial tibial muscles (four cases) and the patellar tendon (one case). In nine birds tenosynovitis, characterised by a marked inflammatory response, was identified.

Physical therapy treatment of knee extensor mechanism disorders: comparison of four treatment modalities*.

Fifty-three patients diagnosed as having one of several types of extensor mechanism disorders of the knee were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups to assess the effects of one of four different modalities (ice, phonophoresis, iontophoresis, and ultrasound/ice contrast). Following four physical therapy treatments over a 10-day period, the group treated with the ultrasound/ice contrast demonstrated the greatest subjective improvement (47%). The pre- to post-treatment isometric strength resulted in a 28% improvement in knee extension strength and a 34% improvement in knee flexion strength.

Evaluation of knee extensor mechanism disorders: clinical presentation of 1 12 patients*.

Results of physical therapy evaluation of 112 patients with extensor mechanism disorders (chondromalacia patella, infrapatellar tendinitis, and peripatellar pain) are presented. An equal number of male and female patients were evaluated and of the 73 patients with unilateral involvement (65%) there were equal numbers of right and left involved knees. Running was the activity most commonly associated with pain, followed by basketball and tennis.

Retinal detachment in the pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).

Retinal detachment was observed as a cause of blindness in small numbers of reared pheasants in widely separated geographical areas. Lesions were bilateral but asymmetrical in 16 birds. In three pheasants only one eye was affected.

Microsporidian infection in lovebirds (Agapornis spp.).

In a naturally occurring outbreak in which all clinically affected birds died, microsporidian infection was confirmed by histological examination and electron microscopy. The parasites were identified in the kidney, liver and small intestine. A severe nephropathy was accompanied in some cases by liver lesions.

Pre-pregnancy alcohol experience attenuates typical decrease in gestational alcohol consumption in mice.

The influence of pre-pregnancy alcohol consumption on alcohol self-selection during pregnancy and lactation was examined in C57BL mice. One group of animals was given a two-bottle choice between water and a 10% w/v ethanol solution for three weeks prior to breeding, throughout pregnancy, and during lactation, while a second group was given the alcohol-water choice beginning on the first day of pregnancy. Relative alcohol intake (g ethanol/kg body weight) as well as alcohol "preference" decreased below pre-pregnancy levels during both pregnancy and lactation.

Assessment of bullet injuries in the neck (a salutory lesson).

Bullet injuries in the neck are fortunately rare in England and Wales, although their incidence is increasing. Clinical assessment of the extent of the injury and the decision whether or not to explore the neck in the absence of obvious major visceral or vascular damage can be difficult. We report a case where a potentially fatal injury was not suggested by the patient's clinical condition and we recommend prompt exploration of bullet wounds in the neck whenever there is a possibility of vascular damage.

Sensitivity to ethanol in female mice: effects of ovariectomy and strain.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of ovariectomy (OVX) on alcohol sensitivity in mice. In the first experiment, OVX, sham-operated, and nonsurgical control C57BL mice were examined for brain alcohol levels associated with alcohol-induced motor incoordination, alcohol-induced loss of righting reflex, and voluntary alcohol consumption. The second experiment employed four strains of mice (C57BL, C3H, DBA, and Swiss Webster) to evaluate the influence of OVX on alcohol-induced spontaneous activity.

Microcalorimetric studies of the heats of solution of bovine myelin basic protein.

Heats of solution for myelin basic protein have been determined using microcalorimetry. All aqueous systems studied yielded negative heats of solution; in contrast, trifluoroethanol produced a small positive heat of solution, while reaction with dimethyl sulfoxide was strikingly exothermic. The heat of interaction for native myelin basic protein with 8 M urea at pH 4.