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1. Small sections cut from commercial crates used to transport live poultry to the processing plant were artificially contaminated with effluent taken from a commercial crate-cleaning system. 2. Laboratory trials, involving the immersion of these sections in an ultrasonic water bath (4 kW energy) showed that aerobic plate counts (APC) and counts of Enterobacteriaceae were progressively reduced as the immersion time was increased from 0 to 120 s and the water temperature raised from 35 to 58 degrees C. 3. In subsequent trials at a processing plant, using commercially cleaned crates, there was relatively little effect of ultrasound (or pressure washing) on the biofilm present. However, ultrasonic treatment in combination with an immersion temperature of 60 degrees C reduced counts of Enterobacteriaceae to below the detection limit (log(10) 2.3 cfu) within 1 to 3 min, while APC were reduced by >2 log(10) units after 3 min. 4. It was concluded that ultrasonic treatment has a possible role in the crate-cleaning process, when used in conjunction with higher immersion temperatures. In this way, it could contribute significantly to hygiene control.

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The enhancing effect of bovine FSH monoclonal antibody (bFSH-MAb) on the gonadotrophic activity of FSH was investigated in dwarf mice using a uterine weight bioassay. Increasing doses of bovine FSH (NIH-FSH-B1; 3.3, 10 or 30 micrograms/day) were administered for 5 days to dwarf mice (groups of five) with or without administration of a bFSH-MAb preparation (USDA-bFSH-MC28; 100 micrograms protein/day) which at a dilution of 1:15,000 bound 50% of 125I-labelled bFSH (USDA-bFSH-BP3). The bFSH, at the doses given, gave no increases in uterine weight; when, however, these doses were given with bFSH-MAb, significant (three- to four fold) increases in uterine weight resulted.

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Human infections due to fungi belonging to the genus Acremonium occur uncommonly, but unlike infections due to other filamentous fungi, usually affect immunocompetent individuals. Mycetoma, which usually develops following trauma, is the most common infection caused by Acremonium spp. Other sites of infection include the eye (generally following abrogation of ocular defenses), colonizing disease of the lung and gastrointestinal tract, as well as locally invasive infections such as osteomyelitis, sinusitis, arthritis, and peritonitis. Pneumonia and disseminated infections including meningitis, endocarditis, and cerebritis rarely have been reported. Optimal treatment of acremonium infections is not well defined both because infections due to these organisms are rare, and because many reports antedate effective antifungal therapy. In addition, susceptibility testing of filamentous fungi is poorly standardized, and in vitro sensitivity may not correlate with clinical response. Based on anecdotal reports, treatment of most invasive acremonium infections requires a combination of surgical intervention, when possible, and a regimen of amphotericin B. Some azoles also display inhibitory activity. Until more details are available regarding susceptibility of these organisms to antifungal agents, amphotericin B is recommended as initial therapy with the addition of either ketoconazole or fluconazole in infections of a life-threatening nature.

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A method for preparation of purified bovine diaphragm nuclei was developed and the presence of specific oestradiol binding sites was demonstrated in salt extracts of such muscle nuclei by kinetic, equilibrium and competition studies. Scatchard analysis of [3H]zeranol binding also indicated the presence of high-affinity binding sites in nuclei from female animals (heifers) for this synthetic oestrogenic anabolic agent. Measured levels of specific [3H]oestradiol binding were higher in zeranol-treated steer than in untreated heifer, or steer diaphragm nuclei. A second, lower-affinity oestrogen-binding component was identified using [3H]oestradiol at concentrations greater than 8 nM in all three types of animals. The data suggest that gonadal oestrogens or related anabolic agents might have direct effects on muscle through receptor-like macromolecules.

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The effect of neonatal guanethidine administration (30 mg/kg/day) during the first 32 days of life on body composition at 20 weeks of age, was assessed in two breeds of pig which were known to differ in their sympathetic responsiveness. Guanethidine administration increased the proportion of fat and decreased the proportion and absolute weight of lean in the Pietrain breed; and it had no effect in Gloucester Old Spots. Thus it can be inferred that endogenous noradrenaline is responsible for promoting leanness in a pig breed with known sympathetic overactivity.

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