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Biomedical subjects

L A Frank

Publications and source records attributed to L A Frank.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Comparison of serum cortisol concentrations in clinically normal dogs after administration of freshly reconstituted versus reconstituted and stored frozen cosyntropin.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biological stability of reconstituted cosyntropin after storage at -20 C for 2, 4, and 6 months. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 10 clinically normal dogs. PROCEDURE: Serum cortisol concentrations in dogs were determined before and 1 hour after administration of freshly reconstituted cosyntropin (synthetic ACTH) or cosyntropin that had been reconstituted and stored frozen at -20 C in plastic syringes for 2, 4, and 6 months. Cosyntropin was administered at 5 micrograms/kg (2.3 micrograms/lb) of body weight, i.v. RESULTS: Baseline serum cortisol concentrations were similar at each sampling time. Compared with the effects of freshly reconstituted cosyntropin, administration of cosyntropin that had been frozen did not have a significantly different effect on serum cortisol concentrations. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Cosyntropin can be reconstituted and stored frozen at -20 C in plastic syringes for 6 months with no adverse effects on bioactivity of the polypeptide.

Animals

Repeated physical and cytologic characterizations of subcutaneous postvaccinal reactions in cats.

OBJECTIVES: To examine local reactions and short-term cytologic responses of cats to administration of rabies virus (RV); FeLV; and combined feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia virus (FRCPV) vaccines. ANIMALS: 9 healthy 6- to 7-month-old specific-pathogen-free cats. PROCEDURE: One-milliliter doses of the aforementioned vaccines were administered SC (at different sites) to healthy, specific-pathogen-free cats. Each cat also received 1 ml of sterile saline solution SC as a control. Injection sites were visually examined and palpated daily for 4 weeks. Palpable lesions were measured by use of calipers. Temperature of the vaccination sites was measured weekly by use of a thermocouple. Aspirates were taken from vaccination sites weekly, and smears were submitted for cytologic analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in lesion surface temperature among injection sites at any time. Injections of saline solution and FeLV vaccine resulted in no palpable lesions. The FRCPV vaccine elicited a minor reaction in 1 of the 9 cats. The RV vaccine caused palpable lesions in all cats. Smears of the aspirates from the sites of saline injection were poorly cellular. Cellularity of aspirates from the sites of FRCPV and FeLV vaccinations was moderate at week 1, and decreased with time. Inflammatory infiltrates were composed principally of lymphocytes, with fewer neutrophils and macrophages. In contrast, cellularity of aspirates from RV vaccination sites increased for 21 days and was characterized by increasing numbers of lymphocytes and macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: RV vaccine used in this study induced palpable lesions in many cats. In contrast, FRCPV and FeLV vaccines elicited less severe lesions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Subcutaneous administration of killed virus vaccines in cats may result in palpable lesions that are detected by clients or clinicians. Aspiration cytologic examination may reveal a different characteristic pattern of cells that is dependent on the individual vaccine and time elapsed from vaccination.

Alphaherpesvirinae

Plasma observations at Io with the Galileo spacecraft.

Plasma measurements made during the flyby of Io on 7 December 1995 with the Galileo spacecraft plasma analyzers reveal that the spacecraft unexpectedly passed directly through the ionosphere of Io. The ionosphere is identified by a dense plasma that is at rest with respect to Io. This plasma is cool relative to those encountered outside the ionosphere. The composition of the ionospheric plasmas includes O++, O+ and S++, S+, and SO2+ ions. The plasma conditions at Io appear to account for the decrease in the magnetic field, without the need to assume that Io has a magnetized interior.

Extraterrestrial Environment

Use of proZZ-obelin fusion protein in bioluminescent immunoassay.

Obelin is a photoprotein that emits light by Ca2+-binding. To develop a bioluminescent immunoassay based on the light emission property of obelin, we have expressed the apoobelin fusion protein with ZZ-domain of S. aureus protein A in E. coli by recombinant DNA techniques. The proZZ-obelin expressed was purified by one-step affinity chromatography on IgG-Agarose. The purified proZZ-obelin has both the luminescent activity of obelin and the IgG-binding ability of ZZ-domain. The specific activity of fusion protein was 8.5 X 10(15) photons per mg of protein.

Animals

Distribution and appearance of elastic fibers in the dermis of clinically normal dogs and dogs with solar dermatitis and other dermatoses.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution and amount of elastic fibers in the dermis of clinically normal dogs and dogs with dermatoses, particularly solar dermatitis. DESIGN: Skin specimens from 7 anatomic sites were obtained from 19 clinically normal dogs after euthanasia to evaluate the normal distribution of elastic fibers. Biopsy specimens also were obtained from 34 dogs with dermatoses, including 16 with solar dermatitis. Tissue sections were stained with H&E, Verhoeff-van Gieson, and periodic acid-Schiff. ANIMALS: 19 clinically normal dogs and 34 dogs with dermatoses. PROCEDURE: Numbers of elastic fibers were graded subjectively. Comparisons between clinically normal dogs and dogs with dermatoses were made. RESULTS: Normal elastic fibers were present in low numbers in the dermis of adult dogs, regardless of anatomic site or presence or severity of dermatitis. Condensed elastotic material was visualized in only 2 dogs with solar dermatitis. In both dogs, the elastotic material was Verhoeff-van Gieson and periodic acid-Schiff stain positive but was not visible with H&E stain. The most frequent histopathologic finding in the dermis of dogs with solar dermatitis was superficial dermal fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: The dermis of clinically normal dogs does not contain abundant elastic fibers. Alterations of elastic fibers in dogs with solar dermatitis are rare. Superficial dermal fibrosis may be a better indicator of solar damage.

Animals

Mn(2+)-activated luminescence of the photoprotein obelin.

The light emission of obelin may be initiated by Mn2+ under alkaline conditions. The luminescence takes place in a pH range from 7 to 12 with a sharp optimum at 11.75. The first-order rate constant for Mn(2+)-activated luminescence decay is more than 9 s-1, while that for Ca(2+)-activated luminescence decay is only 6.9 s-1. The Mn2+ concentration-effect curve for obelin determined with simple dilutions of manganese salt is a sigmoid curve. The slope of the curve is moderately dependent on the pH and was not more than 1 within the pH range tested. The maximal light emission, which is initiated by 3.6 x 10(-5) M Mn2+ at pH 11.75 was about 10% of the maximal Ca(2+)-activated luminescence. Mg2+ ions inhibit the Mn(2+)-activated luminescence of obelin. The addition of OH. and O2- scavengers did not influence the Mn(2+)-activated luminescence, but when singlet oxygen quenchers were added, the Mn(2+)-dependent light emission was inhibited. This suggests that the 1O2 might be formed and itself be responsible for chromophore oxidation attended with light emission. NEM and Na2S2O4 inhibit the Mn(2+)-initiated light emission of obelin completely, showing that endogenous hydroperoxide and SH-group(s) of the photoprotein are essential for both Ca(2+)-activated and Mn(2+)-activated light emission of obelin.

Aequorin

Comparison of the efficacy of cefadroxil and generic and proprietary cephalexin in the treatment of pyoderma in dogs.

We compared efficacy of cefadroxil and generic and proprietary cephalexin in treatment of pyoderma in dogs. Forty-four dogs were randomly assigned to receive 1 of the 3 preparations at 22 to 35 mg/kg body weight, every 12 hours. Dogs were examined at the conclusion of treatment period and assessed as to degree of improvement. All 3 cephalosporins were effective and safe antibiotics for the treatment of pyoderma in dogs.

Animals

Comparison of serum cortisol concentration before and after intradermal testing in sedated and nonsedated dogs.

Serum cortisol concentration was evaluated in 71 dogs before and after a stressful procedure was performed. Thirty dogs were skin tested with sedation (group S), 21 dogs were skin tested without sedation (group NS), and 20 dogs had other dermatologic procedures performed (group C). Group-S dogs had significant (P less than 0.001) decrease in serum cortisol concentration after skin testing, compared with baseline values. In contrast, dogs of groups NS and C had significant (P less than 0.001) increase in poststress serum cortisol concentration. Mean cortisol concentration after stress was significantly lower for dogs of group S, compared with that for dogs of the other 2 groups. The second part of the analysis consisted of determining the number of false-negative skin test results for dogs of groups S and NS and comparing these with serum cortisol concentration. Difference in the number of suspected atopic dogs with negative skin test results (false-negative) was not evident between groups S and NS. Also, difference was not apparent between cortisol concentration in dogs that had positive or false-negative skin test results in either group. This finding indicates that high serum cortisol concentration does not affect results of skin testing in suspected atopic dogs.

Animals

Optometry in Israel--a clinical externship.

In recent years, it has become the policy of optometric institutions to expand the scope of the clinical education experience beyond the geographical locale of the parent facility. This article is a presentation of the background and description of one such clinical program organized by the New England College of Optometry with the cooperation of the Department of Ophthalmology Hadassah Hebrew Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

Contact Lenses

Atopic dermatitis.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Animals

Comparison of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) to thyrotropin (TSH) stimulation for evaluating thyroid function in dogs.

Five normal dogs and 22 dogs with dermatological signs suggestive of hypothyroidism were evaluated using thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and thyrotropin (TSH) stimulation. Thyroxine (T4) concentration after TRH stimulation was significantly lower than that obtained by TSH stimulation. It was not possible to identify hypothyroid dogs with the TRH-stimulation test, because some euthyroid dogs had either decreases in T4 or only slight increases in T4 concentrations after TRH stimulation. In addition, dogs with pyoderma had decreased responses in serum T4 after TRH stimulation, which became normal following treatment with antibiotics. Six of the 22 dogs were diagnosed as hypothyroid based on TSH results and responses to thyroid hormone replacement. It was concluded that TRH stimulation is not a useful means of diagnosing hypothyroidism in dogs.

Animals

[Synthesis of leucine codons and their use in the study of tRNALeu codon correspondence].

The leucine codon--UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, CUG--was prepared via the phosphotriester approach. The purity of codon was confirmed by reverse phase chromatography in micro scale. The absence of migration of internucleotidic linkages was confirmed by hydrolysis with pancreatic RNase. Synthetic codon were used to study the codon response of six isoacceptor tRNALeu from the cow mammary gland.

Chemical Phenomena