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Different species of non-human primates have been exploited as animal disease models for human hantavirus infections. To study the potential risk of natural hantavirus infection of non-human primates, we investigated serum samples from non-human primates of three species living in outdoor enclosures of the German Primate Center (GPC), Göttingen, located in a hantavirus endemic region of central Germany. For that purpose we used serological assays based on recombinant antigens of the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) transmitted Puumala virus (PUUV) and the common and field vole (Microtus arvalis, Microtus agrestis) associated Tula virus (TULV) which are both broadly geographically distributed in Germany. In 24 out of 251 (9.6%) monkey sera collected in 2006 PUUV- and/or TULV-reactive immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies were detected. Investigation of follow-up sera from 13 animals confirmed for two animals a seroconversion due to hantavirus exposure at the GPC. To prove the origin of the infection, wild rodents from the surrounding regions were analyzed by hantavirus-specific reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis. In 6 of the 73 investigated bank voles and 3 of the 19 investigated Microtus spp. PUUV- and TULV-specific nucleic acid sequences, respectively, were detected. In conclusion, our investigations demonstrate for the first time natural infections of non-human primates in outdoor enclosures in Germany. These findings highlight the importance of hantavirus surveillance in those primate housings and corresponding preventive measures against wild rodents, particularly in hantavirus endemic regions.

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Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity in the circulation of several animal species was determined by a bioassay, using the murine cell line L929. In healthy adult cattle, horses, pigs and dogs, species specific differences of systemic TNF activity were visible. In cattle, TNF activity in the circulation increased during growing up from calf to adult animal. In cattle suffering from various diseases, unchanged, elevated, but also reduced systemic TNF activity have proved to possess clinical relevance. Low systemic TNF activity frequently occurs during lethal inflammatory diseases and may be an indicator of generalized monozyte paralysis.

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Tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF) has been shown to have a pivotal role in mediating biological effects of endotoxins. Therefore, TNF measurement in the circulation is thought to be a useful diagnostic and prognostic instrument in patients exposed to endotoxin. However, the character of the TNF response depends on the mode of endotoxin exposure and is influenced by a variety of factors. Furthermore, to interpret the TNF state, the regulative effects of the two soluble TNF receptors have to be considered. Finally, the current techniques of TNF determination have to be improved and standardized to obtain reliable and comparable results and to establish TNF measurement as a valuable laboratory parameter.

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The eventful beginnings of the concept of schizophrenia are not widely known in France. Most of the relevant texts are German in origin and French readers have access to very few of them. Yet the concept of schizophrenia has largely been adopted; everything that can contribute to the understanding of its elaboration is of importance. This elaboration did not take the form of a series of brilliant ideas from Kahlbaum, Kraepelin and Bleuler but rather the synthesis by these authors of the theories of their time - theories generally unknown to the French public. One such is the theory of intrapsychical incoordination, propounded by the prolific and interesting Viennese, Erwin Stransky, well known in German-speaking countries but not in France. He was, in 1903, the first to emphasize the importance of inaffectivity in dementia praecox. He devised an explanatory model of this disease, indicating its origin as the variable alteration of the relationship between what he termed thymo and noopsyche. Stransky was the first to speak of intrapsychical ataxy, his model offers an explanation for spectacular remissions from dementia praecox and for pseudo-lucidity. Intrapsychical ataxy, according to the model, is of diagnostic value, allowing a distinction to be made between the paralogies and "wordsalads" of hysterics (only thymopsychic) and those of dementia praecox (only noopsychic).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Because of the intensive efforts required and the dissatisfactory sensitivity achieved with the traditional serological diagnostic techniques for Avian Encephalomyelitis, an ELISA was developed and tested to show the presence of antibodies in chicken serum. Using a multi-phase antigen preparation and optimizing the reagents and serum dilutions, a method was developed which shows considerable advantages in sensitivity, specificity, practicability and costs compared with the Embryo Serum Neutralization Test.

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In experiments adapted to natural conditions it was established that--a conjunctival infection with about 100 RHD-virus particles was successful--in a milieu without flies transmission over a distance of only 50 cm did not take place--iridescent flies (Phormia spp.) seven hours after contamination with RHD-virus material from died rabbits transmitted RHD to susceptible rabbits in an isolated cage. It ist supposed that transmission in this way will be an epizootiological important one for spreading in narrow distances.

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In a retrospective analysis, we evaluated our results with endoscopic dilation of enterostomy stenoses that complicated gastric procedures performed for the treatment of morbid obesity. Of 541 patients who underwent a gastric procedure for treatment of morbid obesity, we found 19 patients in whom endoscopic dilations of stenoses had been attempted. We also include three patients who had surgery elsewhere but who underwent dilations at our institution. Fourteen had stenoses complicating gastric bypass with Roux-en-Y anastomoses, and eight had stenoses complicating a gastroplasty (gastrogastrostomy). Two different types of dilation were attempted during the interval reviewed--Fogarty balloon dilations and Grüntzig balloon dilations. None of the eight patients with gastroplasties benefited from the attempted dilation, but 10 of the 14 patients with stenoses complicating gastric bypasses have done well. We found no significant difference between Fogarty and Grüntzig balloon dilations. We conclude that balloon dilation is an effective means of treating stenosis that complicates gastric bypass performed with Roux-en-Y anastomoses in cases of morbid obesity.

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Further observations concerning the previously described RiV-particles are reported. They were isolated from a diploid cell line of bovine origin, embryonal duck fibroblasts and BHK-21 cells. A protective effect against foot-and-mouth-disease virus in guinea pigs could be observed following inoculation with the RiV-preparation of bovine origin. All 3 preparations isolated from the 3 cell lines showed immunologic cross reactions.

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Five cases of nosocomial Legionnaires' disease which occurred over a five-month period were retrospectively investigated. Chart review showed that during the two- to 10-day incubation period before the onset of illness, all of the patients inhaled aerosolized tap water from jet nebulizers (four patients) or from a portable room humidifier (one patient), and all received high dosages of corticosteroids or adrenocorticotropic hormone. Exposure to both factors was highly significant (P less than 0.000001) when compared with the rate of exposure in 69 control patients. Environmental cultures yielded Legionella pneumophila from tap water and from reservoirs of tap water-filled respiratory devices. The yield was highest from hot tap water, in which the free chlorine level was less than 0.05 parts per million. Thus, Legionnaires' disease may be caused by contaminated aerosols from respiratory devices, and the use of contaminated tap water in such devices represents a previously unrecognized hazard to which corticosteroid-treated patients should not be exposed.

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