Minimal interferon induction in dogs, using a modified polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid complex.

Adult Beagles failed to respond to high concentrations of interferon (IF) when they were injected with a nuclease-resistant complex poly I:C with poly-L-lysine and carboxymethylcellulose (PICLC), by the IV or intrathecal route. An IV dose of 1 mg of PICLC/kg of body weight was lethal to 1 of 3 adult dogs, but induced IF in only 2 dogs. Smaller doses were less toxic, but also were less effective.

Statistical mechanical analysis of Raman spectroscopic order parameter changes in pressure-induced lipid bilayer phase transitions.

The statistical mechanical cluster theory of Fisher as applied by Kanehisa and Tsong to phospholipid bilayers is modified to describe the effects of hydrostatic pressure on the state of an aqueous dispersion of the phospholipid dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine. A high pressure Raman scattering cell has been built to obtain the Raman spectra of aqueous dispersions of phospholipids as a function of the applied hydrostatic pressure from 0 to 100 atmospheres. Predicted thermal and pressure-induced phase transitions are compared with an experimentally obtained Raman order parameter derived from the ratio of two bands in the C-H stretching region of the Raman spectrum of the sample.

Conformational nonequivalence of chains 1 and 2 of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine as observed by Raman spectroscopy.

Raman spectroscopic data indicate that the conformations of the two hydrocarbon chains of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine in aqueous dispersions of the lipid differ signficantly. The compounds 1-palmitoyl, 2-palmitoyl-d31-3-sn-phosphatidylcholine and 1-palmitoyl-d31, 2-palmitoyl-3-sn-phosphatidylcholine were synthesized. Aqueous dispersions of these phospholipids display very similar phase behavior, with both premelting and melting transitions at nearly identical temperatures, midway between the comparable transition temperatures of undeuterated and completely deuterated dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine.

Deuterated phospholipids as nonperturbing components for Raman studies of biomembranes.

The deuterated phospholipid, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-d62-phosphatidylcholine is shown by Raman spectroscopic measurements to be useful for obtaining information concerning phospholipid conformation in complex phospholipid and lipidprotein mixtures. The Raman bands of the deuterated phospholipid are assigned, and the sensitivity of these vibrational modes to conformational changes in the bilayer is demonstrated. Deuteration of the alkyl chains reveals the CH vibrations of the head group.

A comparison of a WI-38 vaccine and duck embryo vaccine for preexposure rabies prophylaxis.

Two types of rabies vaccine, WI-38 vaccine (WRV) and Duck Embryo Vaccine (DEV) were compared in rabies preexposure prophylaxis. Once group of veterinary students received four doses of DEV, a second group received four doses of WRV, and a third group received two doses of WRV. Adverse reactions were found to be similar for all three gorups.

Interpretation of biomembrane structure by Raman difference spectroscopy. Nature of the endothermic transitions in phosphatidylcholines.

Raman difference spectroscopy has been applied to aqueous dispersions of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Difference spectra have been created by computer subtraction of absolute Raman spectra taken in each of three different temperature ranges: below the endothermic pretransition at 34 +/- 2 degrees C; between this temperature and the melting transition at 42 degrees C; and above the melting temperature. The resultant difference spectra are both quantitatively and qualitatively different, indicating that a distinct phospholipid conformation occurs in each of the three temperature ranges.

Successful prophylaxis against rabies in mice and Rhesus monkeys: the interferon system and vaccine.

Addition of interferon to ineffective rabies virus vaccines by the local injection of either exogenous interferon or a potent interferon inducer (a complex of polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid containing poly-L-lysine and carboxymethylcellulose) into the footpads of mice previously challenged with rabies virus dramatically reduced the mortality rate. A significant reduction in mortality rate was also noted when the interferon system was administered to rhesus monkeys, but only when treatment was given 6 hr after challenge with rabies virus. Since the monkeys were given an overwhelming challenge of virus, the treatment had to be given quickly to obtain results comparable to those in mice.

Studies of an outbreak of acute hepatitis A: II. Antibody changes to cytomegalovirus and herpersvirus.

The acute and convalescent sera from 14 schoolchildren with acute hepatitis A were tested for antibody changes to 70 viral antigens. Marked decreases were noted in the levels of antibody to cytomegalovirus in 5 of the 14 children and in the levels of antibody to herpesvirus type 1 in 3. No such changes were noted in 9 sex- and age-matched healthy control children from the same classes.

Determination of the site of oral rabies vaccination.

Foxes developed serum neutralizing antibodies to rabies only after oral administration of an attenuated rabies vaccine, and not when a similar vaccine dose was introduced into the stomach. These results emphasize the need for a bait that assures delivery of a vaccine dose orally.

A rapid reproducible test for determining rabies neutralizing antibody.

Rabies neutralizing antibody levels in human and animal sera were tested by a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition technique, in which BHK-21 cells were infected with tissue-culture-adapted rabiesvirus. The results, obtained in 24 hours, were comparable with those of the standard mouse neutralization test.

Activation of lysosomal enzymes in rabies-infected tissue culture cells without accompanying cytopathic effect.

Lactic dehydrogenase and beta-glucuronidase were assayed in tissue culture fluids and cellular lysates, respectively, from BHK-21/13S and Iota cell cultures infected with rabies virus. Activation of lysosomal enzymes was shown from the day 4 of infection on, without any indication of cytopathic effect.