Reached Peak Intensity Research Articles

Efficacy of pre‐treatment with lufenuron for the prevention of Microsporum canis infection in a feline cohabitant‐challenge model

We previously observed a trend towards clinically milder or delayed Microsporum canis infections in cats pre‐treated with lufenuron, suggesting a possible effect of this drug in limiting dermatophyte growth. We sought to determine the effect of pre‐treatment with lufenuron on development of M. canis infections induced via exposure to an infected cat. Lufenuron suspension (100 to 140 mg kg−1 orally, once monthly; or 40 mg subcutaneously, every 6 months) or placebo was administered to groups of eight juvenile cats. After 4 months of treatment, cats were challenged by introducing cats with mild, experimentally induced M. canis infections into the rooms. The extent of any resulting infection was monitored for 22 weeks after challenge. All cats became infected with M. canis. Cats treated with lufenuron had significantly lower infection scores during the early weeks following exposure, and there was a more prolonged initial progression phase of the infection. Once infections reached peak intensity, they resolved over a similar time period in both treated and control groups. We conclude that lufenuron, when used at the dose schedule and under the conditions in this study, did not prevent dermatophyte infection by exposure to an experimentally infected cat. The delay in establishment of infection may reflect an inhibitory effect of lufenuron on the organism that is measurable, but not sufficient to prevent development of infection under these conditions. This study was supported by Novartis Animal Health.

Scorpion BmK venom induces nociceptive response of rats by plantar injection

In this study, the nociceptive responses induced by subcutaneous injection of scorpion BmK venom into the plantar surface of rat hind paw were quantified. The suitable dose of the venom is between 0.01 and 0.05 mg. The venom injection could induce local edema and tonic-pain responses, which had lasted more than 1 h. The pain scores reached peak intensity within 20 min, and then decreased slowly. Morphine, as a classic analgesic drug, could inhibit the spontaneous nociceptive response induced by the venom. With Morphine pretreatment, the mean pain scores for the entire 60 min were significantly decreased ( P<.05). BmK I, a main lethal component, was also found to induce nociceptive responses with dose-dependent means. The nociceptive responses induced by BmK I could be partially inhibited by morphine.

El Nino of 1997-1998 and Indian Monsoon

El-Nino of 1997-1998 was accompanied by severe global weather anomalies, which generated widespread interest at all levels in the world. As a result, United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution (52 / 200) urging International co-operation to reduce the adverse impact of El-Nino on human society and Environment. The El-Nino (Warm Phase) commenced around April – May 1997, reached peak intensity around December 1997 and ended around May 1998. La-Nina (Cold Phase) started around this time, reached its peak in January 1999, weakened around June - July 1999 and has continued in its weak phase at the time of writing, August 1999.&#x0D; &#x0D; Development and decay of the El-Nino are illustrated through SST,SOI and sea-water temperature below the sea-surface. Features during peak period of El-Nino are illustrated through SST, sea-level pressure, surface wind, OLR, and Walker Circulation. There is clear evidence of west-to-east propagation of OLR anomaly, 850 hPa zonal wind anomaly and sea-level pressure anomaly. SST anomaly pattern did not give strong evidence of this type of zonal progression.&#x0D; &#x0D; El-Nino is global in nature.&#x0D; &#x0D; El-Nino / La-Nina years during the 120-year period 1871-1990 are tabulated along with All India Summer Monsoon Rainfall (AISMR) anomalies. There is evidence of El-Nino years tending to become years of deficit rainfall and La-Nina years being years of excess rainfall over India. El-Nino / La-Nina events, which can be predicted 6-12 months in advance, can be used and are being used as part of the prediction formulae, in the issue of official monsoon rainfall forecast by India Meteorological Department. Based on El-Nino considerations alone, it has been feared, in some quarters, that 1997 might become a year of extreme deficit summer monsoon rainfall. However, the&#x0D; actual rainfall over India during June – September 1997 was 2 % above normal. India Meteorological Department had predicted "normal" rainfall (+-10% of the rainfall).

The Australian Boxing Day Storm of 1998—Synoptic Description and Numerical Simulations

An intense low pressure system formed in the Bass Strait region of southeastern Australia during the Boxing Day long weekend of 25‐28 December 1998. The explosive development of this low commenced on 26 December (Boxing Day) and reached peak intensity on 27 December 1998 with mean wind speeds reported in the 50‐60kt range. The event is referred to, for simplicity, as the Boxing Day storm. There are three objectives of this study. The first is to highlight the rarity of this type of storm during the Australian summer period and to investigate the potential of high-resolution numerical models to distinguish such storm events [winds 48 kt or greater (25 m s21)] from the less destructive and more common gale force (34‐47 kt or 17.5‐24 m s21) wind speed producing systems. A brief climatology of intense low pressure systems in the region underlines how unusual this system was. The second objective is to investigate the ability of available operational and research-mode global and regional numerical models to provide accurate and reliable advance warning of this major development. With the exception of a locally run high-resolution (10 km) limited area model, run in real-time research mode, all failed to depict accurately the storm force winds associated with this system in the 48-h time frame critical for operational warnings. However, most did predict gale force winds. The success of the locally run higher-resolution model over the lower-resolution models (50 km or greater) provided the motivation to investigate further how limited area models of increased resolution and complexity can assist in the operational prediction of extreme cyclogenesis events in a 48-h time frame. A 13-hPa improvement over the other models in the prediction of the central pressure of the system, accompanied by a significant area of surface mean wind speeds in excess of 50 kt (26 m s21), were achieved. The importance of horizontal model resolution in accurately depicting key wind speed thresholds with sufficient lead time for operational forecast and warning purposes was illustrated. Another critical aspect of the forecast problem, consistency, was then demonstrated through the ability of the model to predict successfully these key meteorological parameters in successive model runs. The third objective of this study is to understand the role of various dynamical and thermodynamical parameters in the development of the low. This is achieved by a series of model sensitivity studies, investigating the contributions of sea surface temperature structure, surface fluxes, jet streak resolution, cumulus convection, and topography, that were then conducted. Impacts on the finescale structure of the midlatitude cyclone were detected for the first three impact studies, with cumulus convection having a lower impact. Topography was found to have little effect on the critical features of the low for this maritime development.

Interannual Variability of Caribbean Rainfall, ENSO, and the Atlantic Ocean*

The large-scale ocean–atmosphere patterns that influence the interannual variability of Caribbean–Central American rainfall are examined. The atmospheric circulation over this region is shaped by the competition between the North Atlantic subtropical high sea level pressure system and the eastern Pacific ITCZ, which influence the convergence patterns on seasonal and interannual timescales. The authors find the leading modes of interannual sea level pressure (SLP) and SST variability associated with Caribbean rainfall, as selected by canonical correlation analysis, to be an interbasin mode, linking the eastern Pacific with the tropical Atlantic, and an Atlantic mode. North Atlantic SLP affects Caribbean rainfall directly, by changing the patterns of surface flow over the region, and indirectly, through SST anomalies. Anomalously high SLP in the region of the North Atlantic high translates into stronger trade winds, hence cooler SSTs, and less Caribbean rainfall. The interbasin mode, which manifests itself as a zonal seesaw in SLP between the tropical Atlantic and the eastern equatorial Pacific, is correlated with ENSO. When SLP is low in the eastern equatorial Pacific, it is high in the tropical Atlantic: the surface atmospheric flow over the basin is divergent, to the west, toward the eastern Pacific ITCZ, and to the east, toward the tropical North Atlantic. A weakened meridional SLP gradient in the tropical North Atlantic signifies weaker trade winds and the opportunity for SSTs to warm up, reaching peak intensity 2–4 months after the mature phase of an ENSO event. This SST anomaly is particularly evident in the Caribbean–western Atlantic basin. The tendency is for drier-than-average conditions when the divergent atmospheric flow dominates, during the rainy season preceding the mature phase of a warm ENSO event. The dry season that coincides with the mature phase of ENSO is wetter than average over the northwestern section of the basin, that is, Yucatan, the Caribbean coast of Honduras, and Cuba, and drier than average over the rest of the basin, that is, Costa Rica and northern South America. The following spring, as the atmospheric circulation transitions to normal conditions, the positive SST anomaly that has built up in the basin takes over, favoring convection. The positive precipitation anomaly spreads southeastward, from the northwest to the entire basin. At the start of a new rainy season, it is especially strong over the Greater Antilles.

Tourniquet constriction exacerbates hyperalgesia-related pain induced by intradermal capsaicin injection.

When capsaicin is injected intradermally, hyperalgesia develops around the injection site. The authors observed that volunteers report painful sensations in the skin remote from the injection site during tourniquet constriction of the affected extremity. Each volunteer received an intradermal injection of capsaicin on the volar forearm, followed by intermittent tourniquet constriction of the extremity. In some participants, the tourniquet position was rotated between different sites on the upper extremities. Laser Doppler measurements were made in the skin to measure capillary blood flow during pain magnification. Hyperalgesia developed in the volunteers who were tested after the capsaicin injection. Blood flow increased three times in the dermal capillaries remote from the injection site after capsaicin injection. The tourniquet-induced pain reached peak intensity soon after tourniquet inflation. Tourniquet constriction of the arm on the affected side reliably induced painful exacerbation in each person tested. The quality of the sensation was described as burning and extended across the arm in most volunteers. Only when pinprick hyperalgesia was detectable did the volunteers experience the diffuse, immediate pain sensation. The pain initiated by the tourniquet constriction likely is related to changes in skin capillary blood flow. Low cutaneous blood perfusion is related to the intensity of ongoing, spontaneous pain when secondary hyperalgesia is present. The specific trigger(s) have yet to be identified.

Involvement of PKC-alpha in regulatory volume decrease responses and activation of volume-sensitive chloride channels in human cervical cancer HT-3 cells.

1. The present study was carried out to identify the specific protein kinase C (PKC) isoform involved in regulatory volume decrease (RVD) responses, and to investigate the signal transduction pathways underlying the activation of volume-sensitive chloride channels in human cervical cancer HT-3 cells. The role of Ca2+ in RVD and in the activation of chloride currents was also studied. 2. The time course of RVDs was prolonged by microinjection of PKC-alpha antibody but not by PKC-beta or PKC-gamma antibody, and also by exposure to Ca2+-free medium, in particular when combined with microinjection of EDTA. Immunofluorescence staining showed that hypotonic superfusion evoked the translocation of PKC-alpha to the cell membrane, whereas PKC-beta or PKC-gamma remained unaffected. The translocation of PKC-alpha was observed a few minutes after hypotonic stress, reaching peak intensity at 30 min, and returned to the cytoplasm 60 min after hypotonic exposure. Western blot analyses showed an increased PKC-alpha level in terms of intensity and phosphorylation in the cell membrane, while neither PKC-beta nor PKC-gamma was activated upon hyposmotic challenge. 3. Whole-cell patch-clamp studies demonstrated that neomycin and PKC blockers such as staurosporine and H7 inhibited volume-sensitive chloride currents. The inhibitory effect of neomycin on chloride currents can be reversed by the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA). Moreover, the PKC inhibitor and PKC-alpha antibody, but not PKC-beta or PKC-gamma antibody, significantly attenuated the chloride currents. The activation of volume-sensitive chloride currents were insensitive to the changes of intracellular Ca2+ but required the presence of extracellular Ca2+. 4. Our results suggest the involvement of PKC-alpha and extracellular Ca2+ in RVD responses and the activation of volume-sensitive chloride channels in HT-3 cells.

Simulations of Shallow Supercell Storms in Landfalling Hurricane Environments

Abstract Numerical simulations of the convective storms that form in tornado-producing landfalling hurricanes show that shallow supercells are possible, even though buoyancy is limited because ambient lapse rates are close to moist adiabatic. Updrafts generally reach peak intensity at low levels, often around 2 km above the surface. By comparison, a simulated midlatitude supercell typical of the Great Plains of the United States exhibits a pronounced increase in storm size, both horizontally and vertically. At low levels, however, the hurricane-spawned storms may contain updrafts that rival or exceed in intensity those of Great Plains supercells at similar levels. Simulations made using a tornado-proximity sounding from the remnants of Hurricane Danny in 1985 produce a small but intense supercell, a finding consistent with the available observational evidence. Although the amplitude of parcel buoyancy is often small in hurricane environments, its concentration in the strongly sheared lower troposphere pro...

Suppression of pulmonary granulomatous inflammation by immunomodulating agents.

We demonstrated previously that macrophages and macrophage-derived cytokines including lymphocyte-activating factors (LAFs) play a critical role in lung granuloma formation in mice and that granulomas sizes correlated with LAF activity in the lesions. In the present study, we examined the effects of D-penicillamine (D-Pc), 2-acetylthiomethyl-3-(4-methyl-benzoyl)propionic acid (KE-298) and dexamethasone (Dex) on dextran bead-induced lung granulomas in mice. KE-298 is a newly synthesized compound containing sulfur (S) similar to D-Pc. Large granulomas developed, which reached peak intensity within 3 days and declined in size thereafter. Aqueous lung extracts of the mice contained high levels of LAF that were correlated with granuloma sizes. The lesions and local LAF activity were inhibited by administration of these agents. The most potent inhibitor was Dex. The suppressive effect of KE-298 was similar to that of D-Pc. These results suggest that suppression of granulomas may be attributed to inhibition of LAF activity/synthesis by these agents.

Suppression of pulmonary hypersensitivity granulomas in mice by superoxide dismutase

Pulmonary hypersensitivity granulomas were induced in immunized mice by the intratracheal injection of antigen-coupled agarose beads. Foreign body lung granulomas were induced in mice by the intratracheal injection of dextran beads. Both lesions developed within 1 day, reached peak intensity within 3 days, and gradually declined in size thereafter. Hypersensitivity granulomas were much larger than foreign body lesions. The lung extracts prepared from mice with hypersensitivity lung granulomas, but not foreign body lesions, contained high levels of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thiobarbiturate-reactive substances including lipid peroxides. SOD activity and levels of thiobarbiturate-reactive substances in the extracts correlated with sizes of hypersensitive lesions. Hypersensitivity granulomas, but not foreign body lesions, were inhibited by the administration of recombinant human SOD (rh-SOD). Thiobarbiturate-reactive substances were decreased in the lung extracts of mice bearing hypersensitivity granulomas injected with rh-SOD. These results suggest that reactive oxygen intermediates such as Superoxide anion may play an important role in the development of hypersensitivity granulomas and that rh-SOD is capable of inhibiting the lesions by its antioxidant action.

The contribution of antibody-mediated cytotoxicity and immune-complex formation to tubulointerstitial disease in passive Heymann nephritis

Passive Heymann nephritis (PHN), an experimental model of membranous nephropathy, is produced by Fx1A antiserum, which also reacts with antigens on the brush border (gp 330) and basolateral membrane (gp 90) of proximal tubules. We examined tubulointerstitial disease in PHN, identifying two distinct processes occurring on the luminal and basolateral membranes, respectively. Injected antibody bound diffusely to the tubular brush border from Day 1 to Day 7, followed by sloughing of microvilli and tubular-cell regeneration. Fine granular deposits of Fx1A antibody were present along the basolateral cell membrane by Day 1. These deposits rearranged in situ, enlarged, and became more focally distributed along tubular basement membranes (TBM). Interstitial inflammation, dominated by macrophages (Ia +, ED-1 +) in association with a smaller number of T-cytotoxic cells (OX19 +, OX8 +) began by Day 3, reached peak intensity and persisted throughout the autologous phase (to Day 21). The distribution of focal clusters of interstitial macrophages predominately in association with TBM-immune deposits was demonstrated. Complement depletion prevented proteinuria but TBM deposits developed and the interstitial inflammation was unchanged. All aspects of the tubulointerstitial disease were amplified by a second injection of Fx1A antiserum. In vitro, Fx1A antibody bound to the surface of isolated proximal tubular epithelial cells and redistributed to form clusters of immune aggregates. Anti-Fx1A-induced cytotoxicity of tubular cells was demonstrated by prelabeling cells with 2′–7′-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein. The degree of cytotoxicity was dependent on complement concentration and the duration of incubation at 37°C. PHN induced by Fx1A antiserum causes tubular-cell injury following interactions with brush-border antigens and TBM immune-complex disease associated with interstitial inflammation. These findings may be relevant to the acute and chronic interstitial disease of human membranous nephropathy.

Development of cholinesterase histochemical staining in cerebellar cortex: Transient expression of “nonspecific” cholinesterase in Purkinje cells of the nodulus and uvula

Patterns of “nonspecific” cholinesterase (ChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were studied in developing rat cerebellar cortex by enzyme histochemistry and light and electron microscopy. Three types of ChE histochemical reaction product were observed in cerebellar cortex: (i) ChE is found in capillary endothelium throughout the cerebellum. Capillary ChE staining is present by the time of birth and continues into adulthood. (ii) ChE is found in radial glial fibers and their parent cell bodies, the Golgi epithelial cells. Radial glial fiber staining is most intense during the first 3 weeks of postnatal life. (iii) ChE is found in Purkinje cells of the nodulus and ventral uvula. No ChE staining of Purkinje cells was seen in other parts of the cerebellum. ChE staining of Purkinje cells appears to be transient, first appearing at Postnatal Day 2 (P2), reaching peak intensity at P7–9, and decreasing to adult levels by P16. AChE activity displays a pattern markedly different from ChE, with staining in deep cerebellar nuclei, in putative mossy fiber terminals, and in Golgi neurons of cerebellar cortex. No evidence was found for transient AChE staining in Purkinje cells in any part of the cerebellum. The function of transiently expressed ChE activity in developing Purkinje neurons is unknown, but may be related to reorganization of cerebellar cortical circuitry associated with growth of mossy fiber afferents.

Primary auditory cortex in the rat: transient expression of acetylcholinesterase activity in developing geniculocortical projections

A characteristic pattern of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity is expressed transiently in primary auditory cortex (cortical area 41) of developing laboratory rats during early postnatal life. This AChE activity occurs as a dense plexus in cortical layer IV and the deep part of layer III. This transient band of AChE activity is first detected by histochemical techniques on postnatal day (P) 3, reaches peak intensity at approximately P8–10, and declines to form the adult pattern by P23. The ventral nucleus of the medial geniculate body of the thalamus also displays prominent, and transient, staining for AChE. This intense staining for AChE, found within neuronal somata and neuropil, is detected at the time of birth, reaches peak intensity around P8, and declines to adult levels by P16. The areal and laminar patterns of the transient band of AChE activity in temporal cortex correspond to the patterns of anterograde transneuronal labeling of geniculocortical terminals following injection of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) into the inferior colliculus. Placement of lesions that include the medial geniculate nucleus or the geniculocortical axons results in a marked decrease in AChE staining in thalamorecipient layers of auditory cortex. Placement of lesions that include the medial globus pallidus reduce AChE staining of some axons in temporal cortex of developing rats, but the dense band of AChE in layers III and IV remains. Placement of lesions in the inferior colliculus in newborn animals results in marked decrease in AChE staining in cells of the ipsilateral ventral medial geniculate nucleus and in ipsilateral auditory cortex of developing pups. These data indicate that transiently expressed AChE activity is characteristic of geniculocortical neurons, including their somata in the medial geniculate body and their terminal axons in primary auditory cortex. This AChE activity is expressed early in postnatal development, probably during the time when thalamocortical axons are proliferating in cortical layer IV and forming synaptic contacts with cortical neurons.

Lysosomal Enzyme Activities in Experimental Granulomatous Inflammation

Foreign-body (dextran beads) and hypersensitivity (antigen-coupled agarose beads) lung granulomas were induced in BALB/c mice by the intratracheal injection of beads. Large granulomas developed, which reached peak intensity within 3 days and declined in size thereafter. Aqueous extracts of both granulomas contained high levels of lysosomal enzymes N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and lysozyme. Lysosomal enzyme activities in the extracts correlated with granuloma sizes. Dispersed granuloma cells were able to produce these enzymes. These results suggest that lysosomal enzymes may reflect the activity/size of granulomatous inflammation.

Assessment of granulomatous inflammations by lysosomal enzymes

Granulomas are focal, predominantly mononuclear tissue inflammations evoked by persistent irritants. Granulomatous inflammation can be classified as either a hypersensitive type (immunologic) or a foreign-body type (non-immunologic) response. The common histopathologic feature, predominant infiltra-tion of mononuclear cells, is observed in both types of lesions. Granulomatous inflammation has been difficult to study because existing assays were subjec-tive, time consuming, or only indirectly reflected changes in the lungs. Macrophages secrete a wide range of biologically active mediators such as cytokines and lysosomal enzymes in response to inflammatory stimuli. The purpose of this study was to determine whether lysosomal enzyme activities correlates with sizes of lung granulomas that are composed predo-minantly of macrophages. Foreign-body (dextran beads) and hypersensitivity (antigen-coupled agarose beads) lung granulomas were induced in BALB/c mice by the intratracheal injection of artificial micro-particles. Large granulomas developed, which reached peak intensity within 3 days and declined in size thereafter. Aqueous extracts of both granulomas contained a large amount of lysosomal enzymes N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase and lysozyme. Lysosomal enzyme activities in the extracts correlated with granuloma sizes. Dispersed granuloma cells were able to produce these enzymes. These results suggest that lysosomal enzymes may reflect the activity/size of granulomatous inflammation.

Some Exploratory Findings on the Development of Musical Tastes

Preferences toward popular music appear to reflect tastes acquired during late adolescence or early adulthood. In an empirical investigation of this parsimonious inductive proposition, both the aggregate results (R = 0.84) and the disaggregated findings (R = 0.46) suggest that the development of tastes for popular music follows an inverted U-shaped pattern that reaches a peak in about the 24th year. Possible explanations include intrinsic components (e.g., a developmental period of maximum sensitivity analogous to the critical periods documented in ethological studies of imprinting) and extrinsic components (e.g., social pressures from one's peer group that reach peak intensity during a particular phase in one's life cycle).

Some dynamical characteristics and thermal structure of monsoon depressions over the Bay of Bengal

In this paper, some of the dynamical characteristics and the thermal structure of the monsoon depressions formed during July-August 1979 in the Bay of Bengal are presented. The vorticity budget terms are examined for the eastern and western halves of three depressions in a Lagrangian reference frame. Two of the depressions moved westward and one northward. The vorticity divergence term and the horizontal advection term (in the upper troposphere) apparently caused the westward movement, whereas the vertical advection term and tilting term had little influence on the movement. The residual term is predominantly negative in the western half of the monsoon depression where convective activity and rainfall are greater, compared to the eastern half. This corroborates the inference of Sui and Yanai that the appearance of large vorticity budget residuals is associated with intense cumulus convection. The computational study of energetics shows that the zonal available potential energy was the source for eddy available potential energy. This, in turn, was converted into eddy kinetic energy on most of the days during the life cycle of monsoon depressions. Eddy kinetic energy was converted into zonal kinetic energy on many days, thus maintaining the monsoon current. Computations of the momentum transport show that the transport was southward over the region 18°N to 25° N during the strengthening of the depressions and northward during the decaying stage. From analysis of thermal structure, the August depression (6–13 August 1979) had a warm core until two days after it reached peak intensity; subsequently it had a cold core. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0870.1989.tb00380.x

High-efficiency scattering in transient Brillouin-enhanced four-wave mixing

We report on an investigation of Brillouin-enhanced four-wave mixing which provides phase conjugate reflectivities greater than 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4</sup> . Theoretical modeling shows that the phase conjugate intensity grows with time until limited by pump depletion, and the main effect of varying the signal power is to increase the time delay before the conjugate beam reaches peak intensity. This is confirmed experimentally, and the maximum peak reflectivity is limited by the length of the laser pulses used in the experiment.

Transient patterns of acetylcholinesterase activity in visual cortex of the rat: Normal development and the effects of neonatal monocular enucleation

This paper describes the normal development and disappearance of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in layer IV of rat visual cortex and the effects of neonatal monocular enucleation on this transient pattern of AChE activity. Subjects were laboratory-born male or female Long-Evans rats. Some animals underwent monocular enucleation within 6 h of birth. Animals were sacrificed at various ages and AChE activity was detected histochemically in tissue sections. AChE activity is first detectable histochemically in visual cortex area 17 as a fine fiber-like plexus in layer IV at about 7 postnatal days of age. The intensity of the staining increases during the second postnatal week and reaches peak intensity at days 12–14. The intensity of the AChE staining in layer IV of area 17 appears to decrease during the third postnatal week and the dense AChE band disappears by postnatal day 21. The distribution of AChE in layer IV of area 17 corresponds closely to the field of termination of geniculocortical projections and the fiber-like pattern of AChE activity resembles the appearance of an axonal terminal field. Neonatal monocular enucleation results in a marked decrement in the spatial extent of the AChE activity in layer IV of cortical area 17. The AChE-positive plexus is lost in the medial regions of area 17 contralateral to the enucleated eye. AChE activity remains in the lateral part of area 17, probably corresponding to that part of area 17 innervated by secondary projections from the intact ipsilateral eye. The functional role of this transient AChE activity is unknown. The present data suggest that AChE activity is characteristic of geniculocortical axon terminals during the period of time in which they are establishing functional connections with postsynaptic sites in cortex.

Role of interleukin 1 in experimental pulmonary granuloma in mice.

Pulmonary granulomas were induced in immunized BALB/c mice by the intratracheal injection of antigen-coated and plain agarose beads. Prominent lesions developed within 24 hr, reached peak intensity within 3 days, and gradually declined in size thereafter. The hypersensitivity granulomas induced in sensitized mice by antigen-coated beads were much larger than the lesions induced by plain beads. Minimal inflammation was produced in unsensitized mice injected with antigen-coated or plain beads. Aqueous extracts prepared from pulmonary granuloma lesions induced in sensitized mice by antigen-coated beads contained high levels of interleukin 1 (IL 1) and migration inhibition factor (MIF) activities. The kinetics of appearance of these mediators were similar. Lower but detectable activity of both mediators was detected in extracts prepared from sensitized mice injected with plain beads. Neither interleukin 2 (IL 2) nor IL 2 neutralizing activities were detected in the extracts. The presence of IL 1 and MIF in extracts prepared from early and peak pulmonary granulomatous lesions suggests that these soluble factors are produced by cells within the lesions, and that they are involved in mediating the expression and/or maintenance of the granulomas.