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Biomedical subjects

R A Hess

Publications and source records attributed to R A Hess.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Elevated seminal plasma protein: a characteristic of Yellow turkey semen.

Semen volume, seminal plasma color, protein concentration, and subfractions from 8 white semen (WS) and 8 yellow semen (YS) Large White turkeys were measured for 15 weeks. Average volume was .29 +/- .01 ml for WS and .32 +/- .02 ml for YS males. Plasma from WS was white and averaged 1.84 +/- .07 g/100 ml protein, whereas YS seminal plasma was yellow with 7.03 +/- .5 g/100 ml protein. Protein subfractions in WS and YS seminal plasma were qualitatively similar and consisted of prealbumin, albumin, alpha-1 and -2, beta-1, -2, and -3, and postbeta (gamma). The alpha proteins were more frequently seen in YS seminal plasma. The elevated protein of YS seminal plasma was due to an increased concentration of all proteins, with the possible exception of beta-3, with albumin contributing the most. Except for prealbumin and beta-3, the seminal proteins had the same electrophoretic mobility as counterpart blood proteins. Blood and seminal plasma protein concentrations were poorly correlated (+ .039; P less than or equal to .75). Blood protein concentrations from 68 toms ranged from 3.3 to 5.7 g/100 ml and averaged 4.2 g/100 ml; seminal plasma protein concentrations ranged from .93 to 12.8 g/100 ml. Nineteen percent of the males had YS with seminal plasma protein greater than 4.0 g/100 ml. The high correlation between intensity of the yellow color in YS seminal plasma and protein concentration (+ .76; P less than or equal to .01) indicates that semen quality of turkey breeders could be improved by selection on the basis of low seminal plasma protein concentration.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The effects of red and white light during the prebreeder and breeder periods on egg production and feed consumption in Large White turkey.

Large White turkey hens were conditioned with 5 lx of white or red incandescent light from 20 to 32 weeks of age. Hens from both of these groups were given white or red incandescent light at two intensities (approximately 85 and 160 lx) during a 20-week breeder period. Feed consumption was greatest for hens no white light during the prebreeder period (P less than or equal to .01), but hens on red light consumed the greatest amount of feed during the breeder period. The only consistent finding concerning egg production was the hens exposed to high intensity (160 lx) white light, regardless of whether the prebreeder light was white or red, had the poorest egg production (P less than or equal to .01). It is concluded that red light during the prebreeder or breeder periods is not beneficial for egg production over that achieved with low intensity white incandescent light, and that bright white incandescent light is deleterious to egg production.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Immunosuppressive activity of succinylacetone.

SA, an inhibitor of ALA dehydrase, the second enzyme of the heme biosynthetic pathway, has been shown to exert immunosuppressive activity in several systems. When the Walker 256 tumor was grown subcutaneously in outbred Sprague-Dawley rats, SA prevented rejection of the tumor by the host. Human peripheral blood lymphocyte transformation in response to mitogens and antigens in vitro was markedly impaired by addition of SA to the medium. Addition of hematin to the medium did not reverse the SA-mediated inhibition of transformation. This finding suggests that SA may exert immunosuppressive activity by a mechanism separate from inhibition of heme biosynthesis. Continuous administration of SA to Fisher 344 rats profoundly suppressed hemolytic antibody production after immunization with SRBC. Administration of large doses (equivalent to the highest dose of Sa given to tumor-bearing animals) for a month produced a 20% decrease of hemoglobin concentration, a 12% decrease in hematocrit, and no significant effect on leukocyte or erythrocyte concentration. There were no significant changes in tissue histology, including marrow cellularity.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Uptake of hematin and growth of malignant murine erythroleukemia cells depleted of endogenous heme by succinylacetone.

Heme levels and growth of malignant murine erythroleukemia cells in heme-free medium are drastically reduced by incubation of these cells in the presence of 4,6-dioxoheptanoic acid [succinylacetone (SA)]. When hematin was added to the culture medium of heme-depleted cells, the intracellular heme levels returned to normal, and growth inhibition produced by SA was also reversed. However, when cells depleted of heme by growth in heme-free medium containing SA were placed in heme-free medium without SA, heme levels were restored to normal, and growth was resumed. Hematin uptake in both untreated and heme-depleted malignant murine erythroleukemia cells exhibited biphasic kinetics, with a rapid phase of about 2 min followed by a slower uptake. The rate of uptake of exogenous hematin was slightly greater at 37 degrees than at 20 degrees. Although supplementation of heme-free medium with exogenous hematin increased total cellular heme in both untreated and heme-depleted malignant murine erythroleukemia cells, the fraction of heme in the 20,000 X g sediment was unaffected. A nonmalignant fibroblastic cell line, 3T3, exhibited little or no capacity to take up exogenous hematin.

5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase↗
PubMed1980

The ultrastructure of collagen in the dermis of tight-skin (Tsk) mutant mice.

A recently discovered dominant mutation in C57/B10 mice called tight-skin (Tsk) results in hypertrophy of certain collagenous tissues including the dermis and hypodermis. The skin of heterozygotes (Tsk/+) is indurated and substantially stiffer than that of the normal animals (+/+). In this study, an electron microscopical comparison of the skin of these animals revealed that the fibrous architecture of the hypertrophic reticular dermis of Tsk/+ mice is more disorganized than that of the +/+ mice and in many areas, the collagen fibrils are more densely packed. The abundance of fibroblasts with distended endoplasmic reticulum in both the dermis and hypodermis of Tsk/+ mice is consistent with increased collagen synthesis. Several of the changes in the dermis and hypodermis of the Tsk/+ mice are similar to changes reported in sclerodermatous skin of man. Surprisingly, an apparent abnormality in the morphology of some of collagen fibrils in the skin of Tsk/+ mice was found to be at least as prevalent in the "normal" +/+ mice. The reticular dermis of both animals contain scattered fibrils which are much larger in diameter than normal and often have a twisted appearance resulting from either helical grooves in the surface of the fibril or discrete branches which twist about one another.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Hematin therapy for acute porphyria.

1. A therapeutic trial of intravenous hematin is presented. Eleven cases of AIP and one of VP who did not improve with conventional treatment (high carbohydrate intake) received this new agent. 2. Urinary ALA, PBG and, when possible, uroporphyrin and coproporphyrin were used to monitor the chemical response to the treatment. Objective clinical parameters of hypertension and tachycardia were followed when present in addition to subjective estimates of acute porphyric symptomatology (abdominal pain, backache, extremity pain and paresthesias, weakness, depression, etc.). 3. At a dosage of approximately 3 mg/kg, diminution of urinary ALA and PBG excretion was achieved in every patients. Hypertension and tachycardia improved in those instances where they were observed in association with the attack. Also, subjective improvements in the clinical status of the patients were observed frequently. 4. Hematin appears to be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of acute attack forms of porphyria.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1976

Comparative effects of glycerol and dextrose on porphyrin precursor excretion in acute intermittent porphyria.

The effects of dietary manipulations on excretion of the porphyrin precursors, delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), and porphobilinogen (PBG) were studied in eight patients with acute intermittent porphyria. Three diet periods of 9-17 days comprised each study. In each patient, a "baseline" protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake was kept constant throughout. In addition, during the first diet period each patient received 150 g dextrose; during the second, this was replaced by an isocaloric amount of neutral fat; and during the third, the fat was replaced by 150 g glycerol. In each of the patients, three comparisons of the effect of diet on both ALA and PBG excretion were made: (1) 300 g carbohydrate versus 150 g carbohydrate (dextrose versus fat), (2) 150 g carbohydrate + 150 g glycerol versus 150 g carbohydrate (glycerol versus fat), and (3) 300 g carbohydrate versus 150 g carbohydrate + 150 g glycerol (dextrose versus glycerol). For each of these three diet comparisons, there are sixteen individual comparisons possible for the effect of diet on porphyrin precursor excretion, eight for ALA and eight for PBG. Thus, the mean values for ALA and PBG excretions during each of the diet periods are statistically compared internally within each individual patient. Increasing carbohydrate intake from 150 g to 300 g by isocaloric substitution of dextrose for fat produced a significant (p less than 0.05) decline in eight of the sixteen comparisons of ALA and PBG excretion. Addition of 150 g glycerol by isocaloric substitution for fat caused a significant (p less than 0.05) decline in nine of the sixteen possible comparisons. In the sixteen comparisons of isocaloric dextrose and isocaloric glycerol-substituted diets, dextrose produced significantly (p less than 0.05) lower porphyrin precursor excretion in four cases and glycerol produced significantly (p less than 0.05) lower values in five. One patient showed no significant change on any of the diets. Of the four patients having symptoms believed referrable to porphyria during the study, three reported an improvement in symptoms during the high glycerol intake. The effects of dietary perturbations on porphyrin precursor excretion in acute intermittent porphyria are variable, but glycerol appears to be capable of decreasing the excretions and may prove useful in treating some of these patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1976

Morphology of the epididymal region and ductus deferens of the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo).

The ductal system of the reproductive tract of the male domestic turkey was studied by gross dissection and light microscopy of paraffin and Epon embedded tissues. The succession of ductules as one passes caudally from the testis was as follows: seminiferous tubules; rete testis; ductuli efferentes; connecting ductules; ductus epididymidis; ductus deferens; receptaculum ductus deferentis; papilla ductus deferentis. Non-ciliated cells of the male tract consisted of squamous and low cuboidal cells of the rete testis, granulated columnar cells lining the ductuli efferentes and connective ductules; agranulated columnar cells which formed the epithelium of the ductus epididymidis, ductus deferens, receptaculum and papilla ductus deferentis; and basal cells which were found in increasing number from the ductuli efferentes to the papilla. The basal cells had a reduced amount of cytoplasm and stained more intensely than the other cell types. Ciliated cells were apparent in the ductuli efferentes and connecting ductules, and these consistently stained lighter than the non-ciliated cells. Non-ciliated columnar cells of the ductuli efferentes and connecting ductules contained chromatophilic granules. Cytoplasmic blebbing into the ductal lumina was found associated with these non-ciliated cells as well as the agranular cells of the ductus epididymidis and deferens. Evidence obtained from this study suggests that the non-ciliated cells of the ductuli efferentes, ductus epididymidis and ductus deferens have a contribution to make to the seminal plasma by apocrine secretion.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Grand mal seizures and acute intermittent porphyria. The problem of differential diagnosis and treatment.

A 36-year-old white man had both acute intermittent porphyria and long-standing idiopathic grand mal seizures. Diphenylhydantoin apparently adversely affected both the clinical and biochemical parameters of the acute intermittent porphyria. Comparison of urinary levels of the porphyrin precursors, delta aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen, under controlled diet conditions before and after withdrawal of diphenylhydantoin, showed that this drug accounted for approximately one-half of the porphyrin precursor excretion. Significant clinical improvement of the porphyria followed withdrawal of the diphenylhydantoin. Bromides appeared to be approximately as effective as diphenylhydantoin for seizure control in this patient.

5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase↗
PubMed1975

Ultrastructural studies of semen abnormalities and Herpesvirus associated with cultured testicular cells from domestic turkeys.

Abnormal cells and macrophages found in white and yellow turkey semen were studied by electron microscopy. Yellow semen contained many abnormal cells, most of which were large and round or smaller and ellipsoidal. It was concluded that they were aberrant spermatids, with differentiation being more complete in the smaller cells. Only a few cells of the smaller type were detected in normal white semen. Macrophages were occasionally seen in white semen but were numerous in yellow semen. Phagocytic vacuoles of these cells contained structural elements of spermatozoa and abnormal spermatids. Virus particles were not detected in any of the seminal cells observed. Ultrastructure studies of cultured testicular cells obtained from several of the turkeys examined showed the presence of intranuclear Herpesvirus particles in germinal cells. Macrophages from the testicular cultures seldom were seen with intranuclear Herpesvirus, although these cells commonly were found with Herpesvirus particles and cellular debris contained within phagocytic vacuoles.

Animals↗