Ear Opening Research Articles

Evaluation of effects of oral exposure to ametryn on development of mice

The developmental toxicity potential of ametryn was assessed, involving teratogenic and reproductive studies on 180 and 170 presumed pregnant albino mice respectively, given doses of 0, 292, 438, 584 and 779 mg kg -1 day -1 , orally on days 6-15 of presumed gestation. During the gestation period, body weight, food consumption, water intake, mortality and general behavioural changes were recorded. On day 18, mice for teratogenic studies were killed and some parameters assessed. There were more deaths for the 584 mg kg -1 day -1 (31%) and 779 mg kg -1 day -1 (49%) groups than for the 438 mg kg -1 day -1 (10%) and 292 mg kg -1 day -1 (0%) groups. Reductions in mean body weight gain during exposure and post-exposure periods were recorded for the two highest dose levels; however, the corrected maternal weight (minus the uterus) remained unchanged for all the groups. Differences in food consumption and water intake were insignificant at all dose levels. Teratogenic parameters such as litter size decreased at the two highest doses as a result of significant resorptions and abortions. Other parameters such as termed fetuses per litter, fetal body weight, placental weight, crown-rump length and tail length, were reduced significantly. No external, visceral or skeletal changes were observed except delayed ossification. These results show that ametryn is embryotoxic to mice at 584 mg kg -1 and above. The 170 presumed pregnant mice (F 0 ) allowed to deliver F 1 pups did so after 20(±2) days and F 2 pups obtained from matured F 1 (not given any ametryn) were also delivered after 20(±1) days. There was F 1 pup weight reduction for the two highest doses whereas F 2 pups showed a non-significant reduction only for 779 mg kg -1 day -1 group. F 1 fetal viability was 50-75% before day 4 and 75-99% after day 4 for the two highest doses compared to 100% survival for other dosage groups. No deaths were recorded for F 2 generation pups. Food and water intakes, crown-rump length and tail length increments were insignificant for both generations. The appearance of developmental milestones like pinna attachment, hair growth, vaginal opening and testes descension remained unaffected for all the doses, but times of incisor eruptions, eye and ear opening were slightly lengthened for F 1 generation at 779 mg kg -1 . This observation was not noted in F 2 generation pups. A battery of behavioural tests conducted for F 1 and F 2 pups did not reveal changes in movements such as pivoting, negative geotaxis reflex nor in post-weaning test such as consummatory activity and activity wheel. The growth of the skeletal system was unaffected by ametryn after day 10 post-delivery (F 1 generation) and day 0 (F 2 ) generation. Ametryn has little or no effect on reproductive and/or developmental characteristics of mice at doses below maternal toxicity.

Laser-Assisted Otoendoscopy

In order to determine if laser tympanostomy is a useful adjunct to middle ear endoscopy, a retrospective case review of 95 patients over 18 years of age and requiring middle ear endoscopy was conducted in a tertiary referral center. The review revealed that clear, rapid visualization of the middle ear structures was accomplished with minimal complications. The tympanic membrane usually healed after the procedure. We conclude that laser tympanostomy safely provides a middle ear opening which streamlines the procedure by providing a bloodless field, and by greatly reducing the need for frequent cleaning of the endoscopic lens.

Developmental and behavioral effects of postnatal amitraz exposure in rats.

The effects of postnatal amitraz exposure on physical and behavioral parameters were studied in Wistar rats, whose lactating dams received the pesticide (10 mg/kg) orally on days 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19 of lactation; control dams received distilled water (1 ml/kg) on the same days. A total of 18 different litters (9 of them control and 9 experimental) born after a 21-day gestation were used. The results showed that the median effective time (ET50) for fur development, eye opening, testis descent and onset of the startle response were increased in rats postnatally exposed to amitraz (2.7, 15.1, 21.6 and 15.3 days, respectively) compared to those of the control pups (1.8, 14.0, 19.9 and 12.9 days, respectively). The ages of incisor eruption, total unfolding of the external ears, vaginal and ear opening and the time taken to perform the grasping hindlimb reflex were not affected by amitraz exposure. Pups from dams treated with amitraz during lactation took more time (in seconds) to perform the surface righting reflex on postnatal days (PND) 3 (25.0 +/- 2.0), 4 (12.3 +/- 1.2) and 5 (8.7 +/- 0.9) in relation to controls (10.6 +/- 1.2; 4.5 +/- 0.6 and 3.4 +/- 0.4, respectively); the climbing response was not changed by amitraz. Postnatal amitraz exposure increased spontaneous motor activity of male and female pups in the open-field on PND 16 (140 +/- 11) and 17 (124 +/- 12), and 16 (104 +/- 9), 17 (137 +/- 9) and 18 (106 +/- 8), respectively. Data on spontaneous motor activity of the control male and female pups were 59 +/- 11 and 69 +/- 10 for days 16 and 17 and 49 +/- 9, 48 +/- 7 and 56 +/- 7 for days 16, 17 and 18, respectively. Some qualitative differences were also observed in spontaneous motor behavior; thus, raising the head, shoulder and pelvis matured one or two days later in the amitraz-treated offspring. Postnatal amitraz exposure did not change locomotion and rearing frequencies or immobility time in the open-field on PND 30, 60 and 90. The present findings indicate that postnatal exposure to amitraz caused transient developmental and behavioral changes in the exposed offspring and suggest that further investigation of the potential health risk of amitraz exposure to developing human and animal offsprings may be warranted.

A New Genus and Species of Moist Closed Canopy Forest Skinks from the Philippines

-Parvoscincus is described as a new genus of small skinks inhabiting the litter in closed canopy forests on two islands in the centralwestem part of the Philippine Islands archipelago. The genus consists of two species, one of which, Parvoscincus sisoni sp nov., is described here from seven specimens from the Mt Madia-as region of the Visayan island of Panay. Until recently, the higher elevations of the west coast of the island of Panay, in the central, or Visayan, region of the Philippine Archipelago, have been unexplored by scientists (Gonzales and Kennedy, 1990). A joint expedition of the National Museum of the Philippines (PNM) and the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History (CMNH) visited Mt. Madia-as on the border of Antique and Aklan Provinces, Panay from 4 April 1992 through 1 May 1992. Among the specimens collected were six individuals of a cryptozoic skink that appear to be an undescribed species. A seventh specimen was collected in the same area on 29 November 1992 by Arvin C. Diesmos of the University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB). This new species is closely related to Lygosoma (Sphenomorphus) palawanensis Brown and Alcala, 1961, known from only three specimens (California Academy of Sciences-Stanford University Register no. 23122-holotype, and CAS-SU 23124 and CAS 91205 paratypes) from Palawan Island in the Philippines. Together the two species appear to constitute a lineage of skinks worthy of generic rank. Parvoscincus New Genus The new genus is a member of the Sphenomorphus Group of lygosomine skinks (Greer, 1979). It may be distinguished from all other taxa in this group by the following combination of derived characters. The polarity of the character states is inferred relative to Eumeces, the generally primitive scincid genus, and to the the southeast Asian species of Mabuya, the most generally primitive lygosomines. Diagnosis.-Supranasals absent; prefrontals, when present, moderately to widely separated; * This is contribution number 11 of the National Museum of the Philippines/Cincinnati Museum of Natural History Philippine Biodiversity Inventory. supraciliaries nine; upper half of lower eyelid formed by single row of deep scales; subocular row complete; supralabials six, fourth subocular; external ear opening absent. Body scales smooth, in 26 or fewer longitudinal rows at midbody. Supradigital scales in single row; phalangeal formula of manus 2.3.4.4.3; subdigital lamellae of fourth toe <12. Left oviduct absent; brood size =1. Abdominal fat bodies absent. Size small (maximum SVL ?34 mm). Lacrimal absent; postorbital absent; supratemporal fenestra a small slit; post-temporal fenestrae obliterated by close apposition between parietal and supraoccipitals; quadratal conch absent; vomers fused; pterygoid teeth absent; palatal rami of pterygoids medially expanded with posteromedial recurved process. Skull osteology was observed only in Parvoscincus sisoni new species (PNM 2309). Radiographs showing clearly the details of the postcranial skeleton were available for both P palawanensis (CAS-SU 23122; CAS 91205) and P sisoni (CNHM 3797-98; PNM 2308). Type Species.-Parvoscincus sisoni new species (below), by present designation. Species.-P palawanensis (Brown and Alcala, 1961; Fig. 4); P sisoni new species (Figs. 1, 3). Distribution.-Philippines (Fig. 2). Altitudinal range: 100-1125 m. Habitat.-In leaf litter and beneath surface cover in moist closed-canopy forest. Reproduction.-The holotype of Parvoscincus palawanensis (CAS-SU 23122) is a gravid female with a single large ovarian follicle or oviducal egg on the right side. The new species P sisoni also has a brood size of one (below). A brood size of one is usual in skink taxa with only a single oviduct (Greer, 1977, 1989; Greer and Mys, 1987). Unfortunately, an inference as to the mode of reproduction in the genus is not posThis content downloaded from 157.55.39.254 on Mon, 05 Sep 2016 03:59:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms

Neurobehavioral development of neonatal rats after in-utero hypothyroxinemia: efficacy of prenatal thyroxine treatment.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact on neonatal neurobehavioral development of methimazole (MMI)-induced in-utero hypothyroxinemia and of correction by maternal-fetal thyroxine (T4) transfer in the rat. Two groups of pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received MMI as drinking water from gestation day 10 until birth. From day 16 until parturition, one of these groups received daily intraperitoneal injections of L-T4 and the other received saline injections. A third (control) group drank tap water and received saline injections. From day of birth, offspring from all groups were raised by untreated foster dams. Their neurobehavioral development was monitored, on postnatal days 5-14 (N = 3/litter, from 30 litters) by experimenters blind to treatment group. Prenatal T4 treatment resulted in correction of MMI-induced delayed appearance of three different reflexes. Body-weight gain of treated pups was similar to that of controls and more rapid than development of rats treated with MMI-alone. T4 treatment did not prevent, however, MMI-induced delay in maturation of physiological landmarks (e.g. ear opening). At least a portion of the developmental delay resulting from prenatal (maternal) MMI administration may be reversed by maternal-fetal transfer of T4 administered to the gravid dam.

A review of the Namaqua gecko,Pachydactylus namaquensis(Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from southern Africa, with the description of two new species

An analysis of morphological and allozyme variation in the Namaqua gecko, Pachydactylus namaquensis from southern Africa is presented. Three separately evolving lineages, well defined by morphology and allozyme variation, are identified. The isolated southern population, occurring on the southern escarpment and Cape Fold Mountains surrounding the western Little Karoo, is named P. kladamderma sp. nov., and is characterized by a slit-like ear opening, low number of granules bordering the mental (3-6) and mental and adjacent infralabials (513), the frequent (79%) occurence of the supralabial entering the nostril, and its drab brown base colouration. A northern population, occurring in southern Namibia and the Richtersveld is named P. haackei sp. nov., and is characterized by its more rounded or squared ear opening; high number of granules bordering the mental and adjacent infralabials (11-19), the general exclusion of the supralabial from the nostril (only 3.7% entry), and brighter, lighter colouration. It is further differentiated from P. kladaroderma on the basis of fixed differences at 11 allozyme loci. Both new species differ from P. namaquensis, which is mainly restricted to Little Namaqualand, but is sympatric with P. haackei in the Lower Orange River region, by their more heterogenous dorsal scalation, smaller cloacal spurs, lack of spine-like tubercles on the lateral surfaces of the tail, and more fragile skin. The type locality of P. namaquensis is restricted to ‘the vicinity of Springbok, Little Namaqualand, Northern Cape Province, South Africa’.

A New Subspecies, Ablepharus kitaibelii (Bibron &amp; Borry, 1833) budaki n. ssp. (Sauria: Scincidae) From the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

A new subspecies, Ablepharus kitaibelii budaki n. spp. that is distinguished from previously described subspecies, is recognized. Designation of A. k. budaki as a new subspecies, separate from the other subspecies, is based on the following characteristics: (a) the ventral side colouration of the trunk and tail, (b) the number of the vertical rows of scales between the masseteric and ear opening and (c) the size of the ear openings. Moreover, it is pointed out that the population of A. kitaibelii and especially the taxonomical status of A. k. chernovi in Turkey should be considered again.

Developmental and behavioral effects of prenatal amitraz exposure in rats

The effects of prenatal amitraz exposure on physical and behavioral parameters of rats were studied. Pregnant rats were orally gavaged with amitraz (20 mg/Kg) or with distilled water (1.0 ml/Kg) on Days 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 of pregnancy. After birth, cross-fostering was performed thus generating the following groups: control pups nursed by control dams (CC); control pups nursed by treated dams (CE); treated pups nursed by treated dams (EE) and treated pups nursed by control dams (EC). Results show that compared to pups of Group CC, groups prenatally exposed to amitraz (EC and EE) showed decreased age of vaginal opening. Group EE also showed earlier fur development and a delay in incisor eruption compared to Group CC. The ages of pinna detachment, eye and ear opening, testes descent, and reflex development (surface righting and startle) were not affected by amitraz exposure. Offspring of group CE also showed earlier fur development. Rats of group EE had higher locomotor activity and rearing frequency and shorter immobility time compared to the rats of group CC when observed in an open-field 30 days after birth but not 60 and 90 days. No significant differences were found in open-field behaviors among the CC, CE, and EC groups. The present findings indicate that prenatal exposure to amitraz caused transient developmental and behavioral changes in the exposed rat offspring and suggest that further investigation of the potential health risk of amitraz exposure to developing human offspring may be warranted.

Altered adult sexual behavior in the male rat following chronic prenatal hypoxia

The last week of gestation is a critical period for the sexual differentiation of the brain in the rat. Exposure to prenatal stress during this period has been shown to demasculinize and/or feminize adult male sexual behavior. Many of the neurochemical and endocrine responses to hypoxia are similar to that observed under stressful conditions such as restraint stress. Therefore, we examined the postnatal consequences on reproductive and nonreproductive sexually dimorphic behaviors in male offspring of dams exposed to chronic hypoxia during the last week of gestation. In addition, we examined sensorimotor development in offspring of both sexes. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley dams were exposed to continuous hypoxia (10.5% O 2 from gestational day 15 to 21). Offspring were weaned at 22 days of age and group housed. Behavioral tests were conducted with littermate representatives. In adulthood, male rats prenatally exposed to hypoxia had significantly delayed initiation latencies of masculine sexual behavior and decreased number of ejaculations, but did not display a significant increase in feminine sex behavior potentials. Developmentally, animals exposed to prenatal hypoxia did not differ significantly from controls with respect to day of eye or ear opening, or the in times of righting reflex, negative geotaxis or cliff avoidance. Wire hanging latencies in hypoxic exposed animals were significantly greater than controls around the time of eye opening, but did not differ at earlier or later ages. A significant effect of hypoxia was detected on stride length at 95 days of age, but other aspects of gait patterns were similar to controls. No group differences in gait patterns were observed at 17 or 45 days of age. In addition, no significant differences were observed in open field activity, circadian locomotor activity, saccharin preference, or Morris water maze test. This hypoxia regimen did not influence the occurrence of the prenatal or postnatal surge of plasma testosterone. Overall, these results provide some evidence that, in males, mild, chronic prenatal hypoxia may result in incomplete masculinization of adult reproductive behavior in the absence of overt changes in perinatal testosterone surges.

The Rajasthan Toad-Headed Lizard, Phrynocephalus laungwalaensis (Reptilia: Agamidae), Represents a New Genus

New material of Phrynocephalus laungwalaensis is described in detail. This species shares many apomorphies with the other species assigned to Phrynocephalus but it lacks several characteristics of that genus: scleral ossicle number is not reduced to eleven or ten; an external ear opening is present; and the tail is not habitually raised and curled. Phrynocephalus laungwalaensis also differs from other Phrynocephalus in possessing a distinctive, very short tail. Because these differences would make the otherwise quite uniform genus Phrynocephalus heterogeneous, Phrynocephalus laungwalaensis is removed from it and given separate generic status

Prenatal cocaine exposure in the laboratory mouse: Effects on maternal water consumption and offspring outcome

Pregnant mice were given 50 mg/kg cocaine HCl (1% solution, sc) once daily from gestation days 7 through 18 (sperm positive = day 0; term = day 19). Pair-fed and untreated control groups were also used. The pregnant cocaine-treated females showed normal weight gain and food consumption but had significantly increased water consumption. The cocaine-treated group had a significant increase in embryonic resorptions but no significant effects on stillbirths or postnatal mortality. The offspring of cocaine-treated females had significantly reduced birth weights and postnatal weight gains up to the age of 28 days. There was also a delay in their ear opening but not in other maturational milestones. Increased water consumption following cocaine treatment has been reported by other studies. We speculate that cocaine has a diuretic effect. We discuss the implications of this effect during pregnancy.

Two New Species of Menetia from Northeastern Queensland, with Comments on the Generic Diagnoses of Lygisaurus and Menetia

The Australian skink genera Lygisaurus and Menetia are diagnosed on the basis of derived morphological characters. Menetia consists of the six species traditionally included therein (alanae, amaura, concinna, greyii, maini, and surda), plus three additional species (timlowi, koshlandae, and sadlieri). Menetia koshlandae and M. sadlieri are described as new and along with M. timlowi, most recently assigned to Lygisaurus, are shown to constitute a distinct subgroup within Menetia. A key is provided to all nine species of Menetia, and some notes are presented on reproduction, habitat and color for three species. Menetia is a group of small, ground-dwelling skinks occurring in arid, semi-arid, and seasonally dry habitats in Australia. Six species are currently recognized in the genus. Recently, a species originally described as M. timlowi by Ingram (1977), was reallocated to the genus Lygisaurus, a group of small, ground-dwelling skinks from mesic habitats in New Guinea and eastern Australia (Ingram and Covacevich, 1988). The reason for the reallocation was the realization that the species lacked the one uniquelyderived character of Menetia (supraoculars two instead of three or four) and its similarity to Lygisaurus burnettii. On re-examining a longknown but undescribed species of small skink from northeastern Queensland which closely resembles M. timlowi, I came to the conclusion that these two species are probably more closely related to Menetia than to Lygisaurus. Quite recently a single specimen of a second undescribed species also closely resembling M. timlowi has been discovered in the collections of the Queensland Museum. The purpose of this paper is to update the generic diagnoses of Lygisaurus and Menetia and to describe the two new species of Menetia. I also take the opportunity to provide some general notes on reproduction and habitat in three species of Menetia. MATERIALS AND METHODS The paravertebral scales were counted from the first scale falling wholly outside of an imagetia is a group of small, ground-dwelling i ks o curring in arid, semi-ari , and seasonl dry habi ats in Australia. Six species are rently recognized in the genus. Recently, a ecies originally described as M. timlowi by ram (1977), was realloca ed to the genus Lyisaurus, a group of small, ground-dwelling inary line drawn along the posterior edge of the thighs held perpendicular to the long axis of the body forward to and including the anteriormost nuchal. The supraand subdigital scales were counted on the fourth toe of the pes beginning in the former case with the first scale wholly on the toe, and in the latter case with the first transversely enlarged scale wholly on the toe. The posteriormost supraciliary was taken as the scale just lateral to the suture between the posteriormost supraocular and the anteriormost pretemporal. Nuchals were all the transversely enlarged paravertebral scales just posterior to the parietals. The presacral vertebrae were counted on X-rays. Limb length was measured along the posterior edge of the outstretched limb and including the claw. The polarity of character states was inferred by reference to the successively more distant outgroups: Eugongylus, the most generally primitive taxon in the Eugongylus group; southeast Asian Mabuya, the most generally primitive lygosomines, and Eumeces, the most generally primitive scincid (Greer, 1979). DIAGNOSES OF LYGISAURUS AND MENETIA B th Lygisaurus and Menetia are members of the Eugongylus group of lygosomine skinks (Greer, 1979), and both show the following derived character states vis a vis this group: supranasals absent; frontoparietals fused; postsupralabial single; external ear opening small; 268 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.243 on Thu, 06 Oct 2016 04:55:39 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms

Lankascincus, a New Genus of Scincid Lizards from Sri Lanka, with Descriptions of Three New Species

-A lineage of lygosomine skinks endemic to Sri Lanka is diagnosed and given generic rank with the name of Lankascincus. The group consists of six species, three of which are described as new. Brief accounts are provided for each species, and there is a key to aid their identification. As part of an ongoing review of the lygosomine scincid lizard assemblage it has become clear that amongst the Sphenomorphus of Sri Lanka there is an easily diagnosable, monophyletic group of six species, among which are three undescribed species. In this paper I diagnose this endemic Sri Lankan supraspecific group, give it generic rank, discuss its relationships, and describe the new species in the context of a brief review of all the species in the taxon. Collection abbreviations throughout follow Leviton et al. (1985), with the exception of the Australian Museum (AM, not AMS) and the addition of the E. H. TaylorH. M. Smith collection (EHT-HMS), now dispersed. Lankascincus new genus Type Species.-Lygosoma fallax Peters, 1860:184; designated herein. Diagnosis.-Compared to other lygosomine skinks, the skinks of this genus share the following combination of derived character states: size small (maximum SVL, 58 mm); nuchals undifferentiated; subocular scale row complete and non-interdigitating with supralabials; external ear opening reduced, approximately three times size of narial opening; postmental contacts first infralabial only; third pair of chin scales separated from infralabial row; outer preanals overlap inner; scales perfectly smooth; subdigital lamellae with postaxial groove basally; premaxillary teeth >11; palatal rami of pterygoids slightly expanded posteromedially; fat bodies absent; clutch size constant, two or one, depending on species. For a general description of the species in the taxon see Taylor (1950) and Deraniyagala (1953), and for some general morphometrics see Table 1. Referred Species (6).-Sphenomorphus deignani Taylor, 1950; Lankascincus deraniyagalae, new species; Lygosoma fallax Peters, 1861; Lankascincus gansi, new species; Eumeces taprobanense Kelaart, 1854; Lankascincus taylori, new species. Distribution and Life History.--The genus is endemic to Sri Lanka, occurring in both the lowlands and the highlands. It is diurnal and terrestrial. It is oviparous, and the clutch size is a constant one or two, depending on species. Relationships. -Although the skinks discussed here have previously been placed in the genus Sphenomorphus, it is uncertain whether they belong to this major group of lygosomines or to the Eugongylus group (Greer, 1979). Of the group characters that can be assessed in Lankascincus, it possesses three of the Eugongylus group characters (premaxillary teeth 11; inner preanals overlapped by outer-Greer, 1990; scales on dorsal surface of digits mostly in single row), and none of the group characters. However, the hemipenis character that is the single most important feature of the group (deeply bifurcate) has not yet been examined in Lankascincus due to lack of suitable material. Needless to say it would be highly desirable to know the morphology of the hemipenis of Lankascincus. Regardless of its major group relationships, Lankascincus may be most closely related to the southern Indian genus Ristella, a group whose own major group relationships are also unclear for the same reasons as apply to Lankascincus. Both taxa share a larger number of derived character states with each other than with any other lygosomine, including small size, undifferentiated nuchals, a complete subocular scale row, reduced external ear opening, postmental in contact with only one infralabial on each side, and slightly posteromedially expanded palatal rami of the pterygoids. Lankascincus differs from Ristella in having the derived character states: scales smooth, lower secondary temporal bordered posteriorly by two tertiary temporals instead of one, third pair of chin scales separated from infralabials, and clutch size a constant two or one. Ristella differs from Lankascincus in having the derived character states: supraoculars contacted by frontal three instead of two, digits on the manus four, and claws retractile. The This content downloaded from 157.55.39.45 on Thu, 01 Sep 2016 05:28:41 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms

Hearing aid retention apparatus

In a hearing aid of the type including a battery containing housing normally supported rearwardly of the ear auricle by an elongated hook joining one end of the housing to an ear opening contained ear molding, an elongated tube is secured, at it respective ends, with resilient bands which surround respective end portions of the hearing aid housing and in combination with the hearing aid housing, forms an endless configuration which surrounds the ear auricle at its juncture with the head and positions the hearing aid housing rearwardly of the ear auricle and maintains it in this position by the strand fitting snugly adjacent the user's head and forwardly of the tragus.

Prenatal cocaine exposure in the Long-Evans rat: I. Dose-dependent effects on gestation, mortality, and postnatal maturation

Pregnant Long-Evans rats were injected daily with 40, 60, 80, or 100 mg/kg cocaine HCl (SC, 2% solution) from gestational days 7–20 (sperm positive = day 0). Daily doses were split evenly with half given between 9:00–10:00 a.m. and half between 3:00–4:00 p.m. An ad lib-fed group as well as nutritional control groups that were pair-fed to the 80 and 100 mg/kg cocaine dams were also evaluated (N = 11–18 litters/group). Cocaine had no effect on gestational length but did cause dose-dependent decreases in maternal food consumption and weight gain and increases in maternal mortality. Interestingly, cocaine-treated dams shows a significant increase in water consumption. In terms of offspring variables, there was a dose-dependent decrease in birth weight and postnatal weight gain in both the cocaine and pair-fed groups. There were also dose-dependent effects on litter size, stillbirths and postnatal mortality in the cocaine-treated groups as compared to the control groups. High dose cocaine treatment caused delays in several indices of physical maturation (pinna detachment, fur growth, ear opening, eye opening, vaginal opening) but not in others (incisor eruption, testicular descent). Physical anomalies and postnatal morbidity, while uncommon, were observed in animals prenatally exposed to the higher cocaine doses. Collectively, these data suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure can increase postnatal morbidity as well as increase pre-and postnatal mortality in animal offspring.

MIF-1 can accelerate neuromotor, EEG and behavioral development in mice

Newborn mice were injected SC daily with 1 mg/kg of MIF-1 or saline during the first 19 days of life. The progress of each pup was monitored for physical (body weight, eye and ear opening), neurobehavioral (reflexes) and neurophysiological (EEG) development until the weaning stage. In early adulthood (40 days of age) mice were tested on a maze learning task. Results indicate that MIF-1 can accelerate neurologic (days 3–9), somatic (days 10–14) and electroencephalographic (days 16–19) parameters, and that the effects of treatment last into the early adult stage with increased learning abilities in an appetitive task.

Throat Tuft: A Newly Discovered Morphological Mutation in Japanese Quail

The throat-tuft (TT) phenotype of Japanese quail (Coturnix cotumix japonica) is characterized by a throat tuft consisting of an epidermal peduncle and covering feathers; sometimes it is accompanied by abnormal ear openings showing a wide cleft at the ventral margin and, in some instances, an extra bony projection on the peduncle or in its vicinity. Incidence of the throat tufts and ear opening abnormalities was 50% and 17%, respectively, in 15-d embryos of the TT strain. The 5-d TT embryos exhibited peduncle formation and hyomandibular furrow defects, which are thought to cause the formation of throat tufts and ear opening abnormalities, respectively. Mating experiments suggested that the throat tuft character is controlled by an autosomal recessive gene that is allelic and dominant to the gene hfd. The symbol hfdTt is proposed for the mutant gene.

Polyamines induce precocious development in rats. Possible interaction with growth factors

The study reports the effects of daily subcutaneous injections of the biogenic polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine (10 mg/kg each) given for a short postnatal period, on growth and development of rats. Polyamine treatment, while only slightly enhancing normal body weight gain, prevented the weight loss caused by surgical injury of 5-day-old animals. The treatment resulted in earlier eyelid and ear opening and in earlier maturation of righting and gripping responses. Increased number of neurons in the superior cervical ganglion that is caused by polyamine treatment, could not be prevented by castration of newborn rats, thus excluding the testes as a site through which polyamines may exert their action. An apparent increase in immunohistochemically detectable nerve growth factor was evident in iris and submaxillary salivary gland of polyamine-treated animals, but no change in epidermal growth factor immunohistochemistry was detected in the salivary gland. We conclude: 1.(1) treatment of newborn rats with polyamines can accelerate somatic and neurobehavioral development.2.(2) further studies are required in order to verify and quantitate the effects of polyamines on growth factors.3.(3) the results imply that exogenous polyamines may exert their growth-promoting effects on a number of cell types when these cells experience periods of polyamine dependence.

Hearing aid retention device

In a hearing aid of the type, including a battery containing housing supported rearwardly of the ear auricle by an elongated tube joining one end of the housing to an ear opening contained ear molding, an endless flexible ring surrounds the ear auricle at its juncture with the head and a pair of flexible bands transversely surrounding intermediate portions of the ring also transversely surround, in supporting relation, the hearing aid housing to maintain it in a desired location.

Deleterious effects of adrenocorticotrophic hormone administration during late pregnancy upon offspring somatic, neurological, and sexual development in mice.

The influence of administration of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) during days 12-17 of pregnancy upon somatic, neurological, and neuromuscular development of offspring in mice was studied. The effects upon the onset of puberty in female offspring was also examined. Litters from mice given the higher of two doses of ACTH (1 IU/day or 8 IU/day) showed lower body weights at birth and weaning than controls. This treatment also increased pre- and postnatal mortality rates, although not significantly. Litters from mice treated with either dose of ACTH showed retarded development of the forelimb and hindlimb grasp reflexes, the body righting reflex, the auditory startle response, and eye opening. Although ear opening was delayed in litters from ACTH-treated mice, results did not achieve statistical significance. Study of female offspring housed in small groups revealed that one indicator of puberty, vaginal opening, was delayed in female offspring of ACTH-treated mice. Experiments were conducted to identify factors mediating this syndrome: ACTH did not depress maternal food intake or alter the length of pregnancy, therefore fetal undernutrition or premature birth can be excluded as mediating factors. All litters were fostered to untreated mice to control for postnatal factors influencing development. As ACTH cannot cross the placenta, the syndrome is likely to result from in utero exposure to abnormally high concentrations of glucocorticosteroids of maternal origin. It is concluded that such alterations to the fetal environment can exert a deleterious influence upon somatic, neurological, and sexual development, and that hormones of the maternal pituitary-adrenocortical axis may naturally act to regulate general development of the fetus.