Effects of intravenous, subcutaneous, and intranasal administration of growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone-40 on serum GH concentrations in normal men.

In addition to stimulating GH release in normal subjects, GH-releasing hormone-40 (GHRH-40) stimulates GH secretion in some adults and children with GH deficiency. Recognizing that GHRH-40 may have potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of GH deficiency, we examined the effects of iv, sc, and intranasal (in) GHRH-40 administration on GH secretion and measured the plasma levels of immunoreactive GHRH achieved after the administration of the peptide via these different routes. Normal men were given vehicle or GHRH-40 iv (0.

Possible windborne spread to western Turkey of bluetongue virus in 1977 and of Akabane virus in 1979.

An outbreak of bluetongue in sheep started in the Menderes valley, Aydin Province, Western Turkey, in October 1977. The severity of the disease indicated that it had not been there before but had been introduced into the area. Analysis showed that, while it was possible for the virus to have been brought into the area by movement of infected animals, there was also a period of south-easterly winds which could have carried infected midges from Cyprus, where bluetongue was present.

The influence of daylength, body weight, and age on the reproductive ability of broiler breeder cockerels.

June-hatched broiler breeder cockerels of two strains were evaluated for reproductive performance in mating pens from 22 to 48 weeks of age. Two light programs with maximum daily daylengths of 15.5 or 16.

Intranasal administration of human pancreatic tumor GH-releasing factor-40 stimulates GH release in normal men.

Human pancreatic tumor GH releasing factor-40 (hpGRF-40) selectively stimulates GH secretion in normal men and in some adult patients with GH deficiency. As the latter finding suggests that some children with GH deficiency may benefit from therapy with hpGRF-40 or an analogue, we investigated the effect of hpGRF-40 administered intranasally on GH release. Six normal men were given hpGRF-40 (30 ug/kg; test day) or an equivalent volume of vehicle alone (control day) at 0900 h.

Evaluation of virulence factor testing and characteristics of pathogenicity in Yersinia enterocolitica.

The virulence of 10 strains of Yersinia enterocolitica containing 42- to 44-megadalton plasmids (serogroups O:3; O:4,32; O:8; O:9; O:13,7; and O:21) was compared in mice and guinea pigs. Adult mice were more responsive than guinea pigs to the Sereny-like conjunctivitis test. In tests on suckling mice, all Yersinia strains harboring plasmids were lethal, whereas all strains without plasmids were nonlethal.

Serological studies of Australian and Papua New Guinean cattle and Australian sheep for the presence of antibodies against bluetongue group viruses.

Following isolation of a virus (CSIRO19) from insects in Australia and its identification as bluetongue virus serotype 20 (BTV20), a nationwide survey of antibodies in cattle and sheep sera was undertaken. Initial studies using the serum neutralization (SN) test showed that the distribution of BTV20 antibodies in cattle was confined to the northern part of Australia. Group-reactive antibody tests (agar gel diffusion precipitin, AGDP, and complement-fixation, CF) showed group-reactive cattle sera south of the BTV20 zone (northern Australia), and southwards from Queensland to New South Wales.

Long distance transport of foot-and-mouth disease virus over the sea.

The conditions required for the transport of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus in the atmosphere over long distances and in sufficient concentrations to cause infection in exposed animals are described. Using these factors a series of 23 outbreaks of FMD in Europe, where the original outbreaks were separated from later outbreaks by sea passage, have been investigated. The findings obtained support the hypothesis that under certain conditions the airborne transmission of FMD over a long sea passage is possible.

Neutralising antibodies to Akabane virus in ruminants in Cyprus.

Neutralising antibodies to Akabane virus, a cause of arthrogryposis and hydranencephaly, were demonstrated in serum samples from 33 sheep, 3 goats and 1 bovine among 285 serum samples collected in south-eastern Cyprus from December 1970 onwards. Twenty-four of the 29 sheep having positive antibodies came from one farm in Liopetri. No positive sera came from animals born after 1969, no association with abortions or stillbirths was noted and no arthrogryposis or hydranencephaly was observed in Cypriot animals in 1969 or before.

The Northumberland epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease, 1966.

The spread of foot-and-mouth disease during an epidemic in Northumberland in July, August and September 1966 was analysed. Although strong emitters, for example pigs, were not involved, in 18 of the 32 outbreaks spread could be attributed to the airborne route and in another 4, spread by this route was the most likely. Airborne spread was in general between 1 and 8 km but on two occasions as much as 20 km.

Weather, host and vector--their interplay in the spread of insect-borne animal virus diseases.

The spread of insect-borne animal virus diseases is influenced by a number of factors. Hosts migrate, move or are conveyed over long distances: vectors are carried on the wind for varying distances in search of hosts and breeding sites; weather and climate affect hosts and vectors through temperature, moisture and wind. As parasites of host and vector, viruses are carried by animals, birds and insects, and their spread can be correlated with the migration of hosts and the carriage of vectors on winds associated with the movements of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and warm winds to the north and south of the limits of the ITCZ.

Possible origin of the bluetongue epidemic in Cyprus, August 1977.

Possible origins of an epidemic of bluetongue in Cyprus in August 1977 have been analysed. First outbreaks occurred simultaneously in the south-east of the Famagusta district and on the north coast of the Kyrenia district respectively. Although the epidemic was due to type 4, which had been responsible for the previous outbreak in 1969, no evidence of persistance of virus could be found.

Possible windborne spread of bluetongue to Portugal, June-July 1956.

The possible sources for the epidemic of bluetongue in Portugal at the beginning of July 1956 were examined. Introduction through authorized importation of domestic or wild ruminants was not feasible, since no cattle, sheep or goats were imported and the wild ruminants were confined to Lisbon Zoo, which was too far from the initial outbreaks. Weather maps were examined to see if the wind could have carried infected Culicoides midges from North Africa.

The airborne dispersal of foot-and-mouth disease virus from vaccinated and recovered pigs, cattle and sheep after exposure to infection.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus was detected during two periods in the air of looseboxes which housed susceptible, vaccinated or recovered pigs, cattle or sheep exposed to infection. The first was 30 min to 22 h after exposure and occurred in all animals. The second was two to seven days after exposure and occurred with those susceptible and vaccinated animals which developed clinical lesions, and with vaccinated and recovered pigs and sheep, which did not develop clinical lesions.

Acoustic tracking of ocean-dumped sewage sludge.

With a modified 200-kilohertz acoustic echo sounder, it has been possible to detect and map sewage dumped into the ocean over several hours. The three-dimensional distribution of suspended material and its rate of diffusion are indicated after digital processing of the data.

Foot-and-mouth disease in British deer: transmission of virus to cattle, sheep and deer.

After exposure for two hours to cattle with foot-and-mouth disease, each of the five species of deer found in the British countryside became infected. Clinical disease was typical and severe in the roe and muntjac deer, with some animals dying, less severe in the sika deer and usually subclinical in the fallow and red deer. Each species transmitted disease to its own species and to cattle and sheep.