PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Gruys

Publications and source records attributed to E Gruys.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Mortality of cattle following feeding of moldy flower bulbs].

Five of eight meat cattle died suddenly without showing prior symptoms of disease. The sudden death occurred in connection with the feeding of mouldy tulip bulbs. A short review is given of the use of flower bulbs as cattle feed, the use of herbicides/fungicides in bulb cultivation, and the relevant legislation. Several toxicological aspects that should be taken into consideration when flower bulbs are used as cattle feed are discussed. Both the Central Veterinary Institute and the State Institute for Public Health and Environmental Hygiene showed, in experiments with mice, the presence of a toxin in extracts of the mouldy tulip bulbs. This toxin is probably produced by moulds present in the tulip bulbs. The death of the animals was probably caused by an as yet unidentified mycotoxin.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1992

Failure of adrenocorticotrophic hormone to release serum amyloid A in cattle.

The objective of this study was to determine whether adrenocorticotrophic hormone plays a direct role in the secretion of serum amyloid A (SAA) in cattle. Seven lactating Holstein-Friesian cows were given either saline or 25 iu adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) intravenously at 09.00 in a two factor crossover design. Plasma cortisol concentrations had increased significantly by one hour after the injection of ACTH, whereas the SAA level had not increased by 24 hours after injection. It is concluded that in cattle adrenocorticotrophic hormone has no direct influence on the release of SAA by the hepatocyte.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1992

Congenital tremor in Holstein Friesian-cattle.

In a female family line of Holstein-Friesian cattle a series of trembling calves was born within a period of ten years. All trembling animals were male; female calves appeared normal. At necropsy of one calf severe degenerative lesions of spinal cord and brain white matter were observed. Both myelin and axons were lost and some macrophages occurred within digestion chambers. Obviously degenerated neurones were not found. The lesion was interpreted as a single recessive sex-linked hereditary trait.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Subcutaneous tissue reaction to polyethylene terephtalate-covered electronic identification transponders in pigs.

Polyethylene terephtalate-covered identification transponders were injected in 4 week old piglets to examine clinically and histologically the reaction in the surrounding tissue after 4, 7 and 21 days and 6 months. Inflammatory signs at the injection site were clinically noticed from 2 days onwards and gradually decreased after day 3. A second series of inflammatory events occured in some animals around day 7. Swelling was observed thereafter in a few animals. In the pigs slaughtered at day 4, all samples showed a layer of exudate and debris surrounding the transponder. Afterwards a fibrous capsule developed. The mean thickness of reactive tissue decreased significantly (p < 0.01) between days 4 and 7 and days 14 and 21, and remained unchanged between day 21 and 6 months. The mean (+/- s.e.) capsule thickness was 0.32 +/- 0.12 mm after 6 months. It is concluded that PET-covered transponders are encapsulated in fibrous connective tissue within 3 weeks after injection at the base of the ear. After 6 months the capsule around the transponder revealed no or only minor signs of inflammation.

Animal Identification Systems↗
PubMed1992

Total CK and CK-BB activity in serum from sheep with scrapie.

Total CK and iso-enzyme CK-BB activity was measured in serum from four sheep with scrapie and in serum from four healthy control sheep. Blood samples were taken weekly for about six months. There was a clear overlap between the total CK and CK-BB activity in serum from sheep with scrapie and that in serum from control sheep. Thus measurement of these enzymes does not aid the clinical diagnosis of scrapie.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Cytokine induction and therapeutic synergy with interleukin-2 against murine renal and colon cancers by xanthenone-4-acetic acid derivatives.

Derivatives of xanthenone-4-acetic acid (XAA) have been found to have similar activity to flavone-8-acetic acid against transplantable solid tumors. Some of these compounds were compared to flavone acetic acid (FAA) in their ability to induce cytokines as well as to mediate antitumor effects against murine renal cancer (Renca) and a mouse colon cancer (MCA-38). 5-Methyl-XAA and 5-chloro-XAA proved to be more potent than FAA on a mg/kg basis for induction of the genes for IFN alpha, IFN gamma, and TNF alpha, and for IFN and TNF activities in the sera of treated mice. These effects were sharply dose dependent. On the other hand, 7-methyl-XAA, which has no antitumor activity, did not induce these genes. In addition, 5-methyl-XAA and 5-chloro-XAA but not 7-methyl-XAA synergized with recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) for the treatment of Renca and MCA-38. Doses of the active derivatives that failed to induce cytokines also exhibited no therapeutic synergy with rhIL-2. These results suggest that at least some of the antitumor effects of these XAA derivatives are related to their ability to induce cytokines.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Relationship between pathological findings and values of haematological and blood-chemistry variables in apparently healthy finishing pigs at slaughter.

The present study was performed to study possibilities of early decision making for appropriate conveyor-line at future slaughtering of normal, clinically healthy finishing pigs. Blood was collected at slaughter from barrows (n = 112). A meticulous examination for subclinical pathological lesions was performed, revealing 5 groups of subjects listed in order of increasing disease-activity: 1--no real disease-activity; 2--with mild subchronic lesions; 3--with subacute lesions; 4--with abscesses; and 5--with fibrinous-necrotic lesions. Significant differences for values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), protein, albumin, globulins, and plasma viscosity appeared to occur in this series. It is suggested that measuring acute phase reactants in blood of slaughtered pigs in the near future may reveal appropriate modern tools for meat inspection and predicting slaughtered animal quality.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1991

Reversal of drug resistance in a human colon cancer xenograft expressing MDR1 complementary DNA by in vivo administration of MRK-16 monoclonal antibody.

One strategy to overcome multidrug resistance in neoplasia is to inhibit the gp170 glycoprotein (relative molecular mass, 170,000) that functions as a plasma membrane, energy-dependent, drug-efflux pump. The human colon cancer cell line HT-29, which grows as an ascitic tumor in athymic NCr-nu/nu nude mice, was made multidrug resistant by infection with an MDR1 (also known as PGY1) retrovirus. Referred to as HT-29mdr1, it was used to study reversal of drug resistance in vivo by the anti-P-glycoprotein monoclonal antibody MRK-16. Flow cytometry and radioimmunoassay demonstrated a marked increase in MRK-16 reactivity on HT-29mdr1 cells as compared with its reactivity on the parental, uninfected cell line (HT-29par). The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of vincristine on HT-29par and HT-29mdr1 cells were 2.5 and 15 ng/mL, respectively. The MRK-16 monoclonal antibody did not affect the vincristine sensitivity of the HT-29par cells. Pretreatment of HT-29mdr1 cells with 10 micrograms/mL MRK-16 in tissue culture partially restored the vincristine sensitivity (IC50 = 7 ng/mL). This modulation of vincristine sensitivity by MRK-16 was then tested in vivo. The median survival times of mice given intraperitoneal transplants of 5 x 10(6) HT-29par or HT-29mdr1 were 37 and 39 days, respectively. Treatment of mice with 1 mg/kg vincristine weekly for 3 weeks, beginning 10 days after tumor injection, resulted in a significant increase in the median survival time of the HT-29par tumor-bearing mice (68 days, P less than .0001), but it had no effect on the HT-29mdr1 tumor-bearing mice. However, treatment of mice bearing the HT-29mdr1 tumor with MRK-16 before vincristine therapy reversed the resistance to the drug (median survival time = 64 days, P less than .0001). The MRK-16 monoclonal antibody alone had no effect on the median survival time of mice given an injection of either HT-29par or HT-29mdr1 cells. These results suggest that strategies employing monoclonal antibody against gp170 may be clinically useful to reverse multidrug resistance.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed1991

Bovine laminitis: clinical aspects, pathology and pathogenesis with reference to acute equine laminitis.

This review deals with the features of clinical and subclinical laminitis in cattle. Prominent clinical signs of acute laminitis are a tender gait and arched back. The sole horn reveals red and yellowish discolourations within five days. In subacute and chronic cases clinical signs are less severe. In chronic laminitis the shape of the claws is altered. Laminitis is frequently followed by sole ulceration and white zone lesions. Blood tests showed no significant changes for laminitic animals. Arteriographic studies of claws affected by laminitis indicated that blood vessels had narrowed lumens. Gross pathology revealed congestion of the corium and rotation of the distal phalanx. Histopathologic studies indicate that laminitis is associated with changes of the vasculature. Peripartum management and nutrition are important factors in its aetiology. It is hypothesised that laminitis is evoked by disturbed digital circulation. In the pathogenesis of acute laminitis three factors are considered important: the occurrence of thrombosis, haemodynamic aspects of the corium, and endotoxins which trigger these pathologic events.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Fibril amyloid enhancing factor (FAEF)-accelerated amyloidosis in the hamster is not dependent on serine esterase activity and mononuclear phagocytosis.

Cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS) were described as playing a decisive role in amyloidogenesis. A relationship between the amyloid enhancing factor (AEF) and MPS cells was suggested and recently AEF activity was attributed to a serine esterase (SE) of leucocytic origin. In the present study, no correlation was found between the SE content and AEF activity in either peritoneal cell lysates or AEF preparations of different origin. Furthermore, pretreatment of fibril AEF (FAEF) with the SE inhibitor phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride (PMSF) did not affect its activity in the hamster. Blockade of the MPS by dextran sulphate did not inhibit deposition of amyloid after intravenous injection of FAEF but amyloid deposition was inhibited when FAEF was administered intraperitoneally. These results suggest that MPS cells could be involved in transport of AEF, but that phagocytic activity of MPS cells is not essential in AA-amyloid fibrillogenesis. It is concluded that these results are not consistent with the previously suggested nature of the AEF or with the proposed central role of the MPS in amyloidogenesis.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed1990

Systemic alkalinization inhibits the ability of flavone acetic acid to augment natural killer activity, induce cytokine gene expression, and synergize with interleukin 2 for the treatment of murine renal cancer.

Flavone acetic acid (FAA) is an investigational drug that augments natural killer activity, induces the genes for alpha- and gamma-interferon (IFN) and tumor necrosis factor alpha, and synergizes with recombinant interleukin 2 for the successful treatment of murine renal cancer. However, in most clinical studies of FAA only minimal immunomodulatory effects have been reported. Most of the patients in these studies have also been given sodium bicarbonate to prevent possible nephrotoxicity. The current study was performed to determine whether alkalinization had any effects on FAA-induced immune modulation and therapeutic activity in mice. The results showed that alkalinization inhibited the treatment of murine renal cancer by FAA plus recombinant interleukin 2 such that the survival rate of 84% in nonalkalinized mice was reduced to 0 in mice that were alkalinized during treatment. Alkalinization also significantly inhibited the ability of FAA to augment both splenic and hepatic natural killer activity in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, alkalinization did not inhibit the ability of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid and poly-L-lysine stabilized in carboxymethyl cellulose, maleic anhydride divinyl ether, or Propionibacterium acnes to augment liver-associated natural killer activity. By Northern blot analysis, it was shown that the induction of mRNA for IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor alpha by FAA in the spleen cells of mice was significantly reduced in alkalinized mice. Consistent with a reduction in the FAA-induced expression of the cytokine genes, alkalinization also resulted in a significant decrease in both the peak serum concentration and duration of detectable IFN activity following FAA treatment. Increasing the dose of FAA in alkalinized mice to 300 mg/kg overcame the deleterious effects of alkalinization for treatment of murine renal cancer by FAA plus recombinant interleukin 2. These results demonstrate that the process of alkalinization inhibits the immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic effects of FAA in mice and suggest that alkalinization might have similar deleterious effects on FAA-induced immune stimulation in human clinical trials.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

[Acute phase proteins as diagnostic aid in veterinary medicine].

The acute phase response is the general nonspecific defence mechanism induced by noxious stimuli, which precedes the specific defence mechanism of the immune response. In addition to other changing physiological parameters, the concentration of a number of proteins changes significantly during the acute phase response. These acute phase proteins were studied in detail in human subjects. However, the knowledge of acute phase proteins in domestic animals, is limited. This knowledge is reviewed in the present paper. Attention is directed to C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid-A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp). These three proteins promise to be the most useful ones in the routine diagnosis of diseases of animals, which is discussed at the end of the paper.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1990

Haemorrhagic claw lesions in newborn piglets due to selenium toxicosis during pregnancy.

In a sow herd piglets were born with haemorrhagic lesions on the proximal wall and sole of the claws of all their feet due to abnormal horn formation. High concentrations of selenium were detected in the liver and kidney of the piglets and appeared to be associated with these lesions. A selenium rich premix added to the rations of the sows in the second half of gestation was the origin of this selenium intoxication.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Long-lasting epidural sensory blockade by n-butyl p-aminobenzoate in the dog: neurotoxic or local anesthetic effect?

An aqueous suspension of n-butyl p-aminobenzoate (BAB), a highly lipid-soluble congener of benzocaine, was applied epidurally and around ulnar nerves in dogs. The suspension consisted of 10% BAB and 0.025% polysorbate in 0.9% NaCl. Sensory effects were tested by electrical stimulation. Three epidural injections were given, and the dogs were killed after 21 days. The increase in stimulation threshold was comparable to the effect of lidocaine in a concentration between 0.5% and 1%. Increased sensory threshold lasted for days, whereas no long-lasting motor effects were observed. Pathomorphologic changes were found primarily in the dorsal spinal nerve roots, although slight changes were also found in the ventral spinal roots. White matter degeneration was found only in the lumbar dorsal columns. This result suggested Wallerian degeneration in the dorsal spinal nerves and was at variance with recently published data on epidural BAB. No changes were observed in the ulnar nerves. The authors demonstrated that the pathomorphologic changes were induced by the BAB suspension and not by the suspending additive polysorbate 80. It was postulated that the suspension of BAB, which contains particles of a median size of 15 microns, was mainly confined to the dorsal epidural space where neurolytic changes in axons of the dorsal spinal nerve roots and dorsal columns are induced. This may explain the long-lasting sensory effects seen in intractable cancer pain patients after epidural BAB administration. More research is necessary to define the distribution of BAB in nervous tissue after its epidural administration and to better characterize toxicity, neurolytic effects, and regeneration of nervous tissue after BAB administrations.

Analgesia, Epidural↗
PubMed1990

Amyloid enhancing factor-loaded macrophages in amyloid fibril formation.

Amyloid enhancing factor (AEF) is believed to be a key agent that triggers the second (deposition) phase of amyloidogenesis. However, the target cells of AEF activation and their function after the activation have not yet been clearly identified. We found that peritoneal resident cells from amyloidotic mice contained very high AEF activity. With a simultaneous subcutaneous injection of 1.0 ml of the casein-adjuvant emulsion, an intravenous injection of 10,000 cells was consistently capable of inducing amyloidosis in a recipient mouse in 72 hours. After 2-hour cultures, the major AEF activity was found in the adherent cells (macrophages). An intravenous injection of 5 to 10 million of the live macrophages with the casein-adjuvant injection caused amyloid deposits in the recipient not only in the spleen and the liver but also in the lung (an extremely rare site of AA amyloid deposition). We have interpreted this finding to indicate that the injected AEF-loaded macrophages, while still residing in the lung and exposed to the blood stream, processed SAA to form amyloid. We further tested this postulate in an in vitro system. In a 4-day culture of the AEF-loaded macrophages in a medium containing SAA-rich mouse serum, small masses (less than 15 microns in diameter) of Congo red positive substance were observed scattered adjacent to or surrounded by the macrophages. The present observations lend strong credence to the conclusion that AEF-loaded macrophages are fully capable of processing SAA to AA and further to amyloid fibrils, and that they indeed play a role in the second phase of amyloidogenesis in vivo.

Amyloid↗
PubMed1990

Observations on mouse-infective stocks of Cowdria ruminantium: microscopical demonstration of the Kwanyanga stock in mouse tissue and the carrier-status of the Senegal stock in mice.

The behaviour of two different stocks of Cowdria ruminantium was investigated in mice. The mouse-pathogenic Kwanyanga stock of C ruminantium was microscopically demonstrated in mice in capillary endothelial cells of the lung, spleen, kidney, liver and brain. Mice of the ninth passage of the Senegal stock, which is infective but not pathogenic to mice, were kept alive for a year. Their blood and homogenised spleens, inoculated intravenously, caused fatal heartwater in a goat. However, the Senegal stock could not be demonstrated microscopically in mice. These results indicate the possible role of rodents in the epidemiology of heartwater.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[Bilateral pleuritis following esophageal fistula in a horse as a complication of a Gasterophilus infection].

A six-year-old pregnant Haflinger mare of 510 kilograms died from bilateral pleurisy following a hospitalisation period of ten days, during which she was treated with various antibiotics. At necropsy a bilateral fibrinopurulent pleurisy accompanied by an ulceration of the cardia of the stomach measuring once cm2 was found. In the wall of the oesophagus, close to the cardia, there was a fistula harbouring a 3rd stage Gasterophilus larva. The epithelial layer at this site was unimpaired and no gross connection between the fistula and the ulceration of the cardia was observed. The fistula was in communication with both pleural cavities. Microscopic examination showed an inflammatory infiltration as a connection between the fistula in between the oesophageal muscular layers and the bottom of the cardiac ulcer. The Gasterophilus larva as the possible cause of the bilateral pleurisy is discussed.

Animals↗