Seroprevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging mammals in Iowa.

Serum samples from raccoons (Procyon lotor), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and free-ranging house cats trapped in Iowa between 1984 and 1988 were tested for antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii using the modified direct agglutination test (MAT). Antibody titers > or = 1:32 were considered indicative of infection. Prevalence rates by species were estimated for raccoons at 134/885 (15%), skunks at 38/81 (47%), opossums at 12/53 (23%), and cats at 16/20 (80%).

Dogs are definitive hosts of Neospora caninum.

Dogs were investigated to determine if they are definitive hosts of Neospora caninum. Four dogs were fed N. caninum tissue cysts in infected mouse tissue, and two negative control dogs were fed uninfected mouse tissue.

Antibiotic hypersensitivity reactions in cystic fibrosis.

Objectives: To document the frequency and severity of reactions to antibiotics in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF), to determine which drugs and routes of administration are most likely to produce reactions and to assess how these reactions limit the choice of antibiotics.

Methodology: Medical records were reviewed to ascertain the number and routes of courses of antibiotics and all suspected drug reactions. Patients and their parents were interviewed about drug reactions.

The doses received by the breast during mantle radiotherapy.

Purpose: To accurately measure the dose received by the breast during mantle radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: A phantom containing lung-equivalent material was used to measure the doses received by the breast during mantle radiotherapy given by anterior and posterior opposing fields. These were measured using thermoluminescent dosimeters and compared with point dose calculations obtained by computer planning.

Oral inoculation of cats with tissue cysts of Neospora caninum.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that cats are definitive hosts of Neospora caninum.

Animals: 6 weaned male kittens obtained from 2 sources, and several dozen outbred mice.

Procedure: Cats were fed large numbers of 3 strains of N caninum: tissue cysts in buffered saline solution, mouse brain homogenates, and whole carcass homogenates from seropositive mice.

The effect of tibial stem design on component micromotion in knee arthroplasty.

Rigid body mechanics with computer data acquisition and analysis techniques were used to determine the three-dimensional motions of any point on the tibial component of a total knee arthroplasty. Three stem configurations were compared: (1) no stem; (2) short stem (40 mm); and (3) long stem (75 mm). In addition, three loading conditions were analyzed for each stem configuration: (1) central loading; (2) posterior loading; and (3) medial loading.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus replicates in testicular germ cells, alters spermatogenesis, and induces germ cell death by apoptosis.

Like other arteriviruses, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is shed in semen, a feature that is critical for the venereal transmission of this group of viruses. In spite of its epidemiological importance, little is known of the association of PRRSV or other arteriviruses with gonadal tissues. We experimentally infected a group of boars with PRRSV 12068-96, a virulent field strain.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Bone-patella tendon-bone versus semitendinosus anatomic reconstruction.

In this article, the long term (2-10 years; mean, 4.8 years) followup results of two reconstructive procedures for the anterior cruciate ligament are compared. The bone-patella tendon-bone (with interference fit fixation) was performed on 69 knees, and the semitendinosus anatomic reconstruction was performed on 68 knees, in a population of 76 men and 52 women (age range, 15-60 years; average, 31 years).

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus: routes of excretion.

This study was conducted to delineate potential sites of exit and duration of shedding of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Two experiments of 6 pigs each were conducted. Pigs were farrowed in isolation, weaned at 7 days of age, and housed in individual HEPA filtered isolation chambers.

Studies of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus infection in avian species.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a recently recognized virus of swine. As a newly emerging virus, much of the basic information regarding PRRSV is in the process of discovery. We report three experiments with PRRSV in birds, and a fourth experiment to evaluate the infectivity and transmissibility of avian-derived PRRSV in swine.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus: a persistent infection.

Persistent infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was shown in experimentally infected pigs by isolation of virus from oropharyngeal samples for up to 157 days after challenge. Four 4 week old, conventional, PRRSV antibody-negative pigs were intranasally inoculated with PRRSV (ATCC VR-2402). Serum samples were collected every 2 to 3 days until day 42 post inoculation (PI), then approximately every 14 days until day 213 PI.

General overview of PRRSV: a perspective from the United States.

Four years after the report of its discovery, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) continues to challenge swine producers, veterinary practitioners, and animal health researchers in the United States. The prevalence of infection is high--60% to 80% of herds is a reasonable estimate--but the clinical effects of infection vary widely among farms. In many herds, infection is unapparent and productivity seemingly unaffected.

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for retinoic acid and its metabolites.

Background: A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for all-trans-retinoic acid (tretinoin) was developed to provide a coherent description of tretinoin absorption, distribution metabolism, and excretion across species and routes of administration.

Objective: The goal of developing such a model is to provide a measure of internal dose that would be a biologically relevant surrogate for administered dose in assessing human teratogenic risk from topically applied tretinoin emollient cream.

Methods: The developed PBPK model included compartments for plasma, liver, gut, intestinal lumen, fat, skin, richly and slowly perfused tissues, placenta, and embryo.

The percutaneous absorption of topically applied tretinoin and its effect on endogenous concentrations of tretinoin and its metabolites after single doses or long-term use.

Background: The percutaneous absorption of topically applied tretinoin cream and emollient cream formulations has not been comprehensively studied.

Objective: To assess tretinoin absorption and plasma levels of tretinoin and its metabolites after single and repeated topical tretinoin doses.

Methods: In study 1, 28 subjects were equally divided into four treatment groups that received a single dose of tritiated tretinoin in a 0.

Osmolarity is an independent trigger of Acanthamoeba castellanii differentiation.

Like many yeasts, bacteria, and other sporulating microorganisms, Acanthamoeba castellanii (Neff), a free-living amoeba with pathogenic relatives, differentiates into a dormant form when deprived of nutrients. Acanthamoeba cysts redifferentiate into trophozoites when food is resupplied. We report here that Acanthamoeba encystment is also triggered by elevated osmolarity, and that osmolarity and cell surface receptor binding are synergistic in triggering differentiation.

Spinal anesthesia for outpatients: appropriate agents and techniques.

With attention to appropriate selection of drugs, techniques, and needles, spinal anesthesia offers significant advantages in the outpatient setting. The combination of rapid onset, high reliability, and technical ease, along with the lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, allows for rapid turnover and discharge. The incidence of headache should not be a limiting factor if appropriate small, rounded bevel needles are used, and the technique is used primarily in the population aged over 40 years.

Excretion of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in semen after experimentally induced infection in boars.

Four boars intranasally inoculated with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus were monitored for 56 days after exposure for changes in semen characteristics and for the presence of virus in the semen. Clinically, 2 of 4 boars had mild respiratory signs of 1 day's duration after infection. Changes in appetite, behavior, or libido were not detected.

Predicting couples' response to marital therapy: a comparison of short- and long-term predictors.

This study identified predictors of couples' response to marital therapy at termination and 4 years posttreatment for 55 couples receiving either behavioral or insight-oriented marital therapy. Couples were more likely to remain maritally distressed at termination if either spouse reported high levels of negative marital affect or depressive symptomatology at intake. Couples were more likely to be divorced or maritally distressed 4 years after completing therapy if spouses' intake measures reflected high levels of negative marital affect, poor problem-solving skills, low psychological resilience, high levels of depression, low emotional responsiveness, or if neither spouse was employed at a semiskilled or higher level position.

Public awareness of the symptoms of diabetes mellitus.

A cross-sectional survey by standard questionnaire was conducted to determine the public's knowledge (n = 480) of diabetes and diabetes symptoms. Four hundred and sixty-two (96%) subjects had heard of diabetes, 350 (73%) could give a rudimentary definition of diabetes, but 231 (48%) were unable to name any symptom and only 20 (4%) knew of thirst and polyuria in combination. The public's knowledge of diabetes symptoms is poor.

Long-term effectiveness of behavioral versus insight-oriented marital therapy: a 4-year follow-up study.

Four-year follow-up data regarding marital status and marital accord were obtained for 59 couples receiving either behavioral (BMT) or insight-oriented (IOMT) marital therapy in a controlled outcome study. Although no significant group differences had been observed between the 2 treatment conditions at either termination or 6-month follow-up, by 4-year follow-up a significantly higher percentage of BMT couples had experienced divorce (38% for BMT couples compared with 3% for IOMT couples). Results are compared with previous outcome research in this area, and recommendations are made for further research.

Plasma concentrations of midazolam in children following intranasal administration.

Nasally administered midazolam appears to be a useful method for rapidly sedating children prior to the induction of anesthesia. We determined the peak plasma concentrations after intranasal administration of midazolam and compared this to plasma concentrations achieved after intravenously administered midazolam in 18 children between the ages of 14 months and 5 yr, who underwent elective closure of an asymptomatic atrial septal or ventricular septal defect. Preanesthetic medication was at the discretion of the attending anesthesiologist.

Clinical pharmacokinetics of interferons.

Interferons are a family of proteins shown to be effective in the treatment of viral (condylomata, acuminata) and neoplastic (hairy cell leukaemia and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma) diseases. To date, the clinical utility of the interferons has been hampered by an incomplete understanding of their mechanism of action. However, there is supporting evidence that the route of administration, i.