Normal equine serum for staphylomycosis

Studying the effect of normal horse serum in vivo and in vitro on staphylococci, Benedek (Zeit. F. 1mm. U. Exper. Ther., B. 47, H. 2) found that it has antitoxic, bactericidal and tissue immunizing effects.

On the use of normal horse serum for the treatment of diphtheria

The question of treating diphtheria with normal horse serum instead of antitoxic serum, which was much sensational in connection with the observations of Віlіng'a, has been repeatedly decided by both clinicians and bacteriologists in favor of antitoxic serum.

Effect of melatonin instillations on the clinical course of experimental uveitis and biochemical processes in tears and aqueous humor

Acute immunogenic uveitis was modeled in rabbits via the subcutaneous and intravitreal injections of normal horse serum. We studied the effect of instillations of 0.1% melatonin solution on the clinical course of uveitis and biochemical parameters of tear fluid and aqueous humor: antioxi-dant activity, protein concentration and a2-macroglobulin level. Melatonin instillations decreased clinical manifestations of uveitis. We found that the antioxidant activity in tears of the rabbits treated with melatonin was substantially higher and the a2-macroglobulin level lower than in untreated animals. Antioxidant activity in aqueous humor taken on day 10 of uveitis was also twice higher while protein and a2-macroglobulin levels were 1.5-2 times lower than in untreated animals. These data indicate that instillations of melatonin increase the local antioxidant activity and decrease the acuity of inflammation and permeability of hematoophthalmic barrier in uveitis

A New Method for Intense Staining of Myelin

We describe a new method for intense staining of myelin. The stain involves immersing frozen or vibratome sections in 4% normal horse serum. A DAB reaction is then carried out, which results in the deposition of reaction product in myelin sheaths. On intensification of this reaction product using the silver enhancement technique described by Görcs, myelin stains an intense black color, making the preparations suitable for photography. The stain is especially useful for determining the distribution of myelinated fibers in gray matter.

Selection and in vitro properties of inhibitor-nonsensitive influenza A (H3N2) strains

Selection of stable variants, nonsensitive to horse serum inhibitors, was achieved by growing influenza A (H3N2) strains, originally sensitive, in the allantois-on-shell system with incorporated normal horse serum. Most of these variants, when compared to their respective parental line, showed a greater eluting activity not related to a greater enzymatic activity. Investigation of the ability to agglutinate erythrocytes from different animal species and the thermostability of the hemagglutinin and the neuraminidase did not reveal a complete correlation between these markers and resistance to horse serum inhibitors. When applied to known attenuated strains, also nonsensitive, these same markers could not be linked directly to the attenuation of these viruses for man.

Further observations on the in vitro development of the gametocytes of Plasmodium gallinaceum

1. Gametocytes of Plasmodium gallinaceum emerged from the erythrocytes and the male gametocytes exflagellated normally in vitro, in normal or inactivated horse serum, or in rabbit plasma.2. Gametocytes, washed and suspended in normal horse serum, completed their sexual development and produced oocysts in mosquitoes.3. Hyperimmune chick plasma, as compared with normal chick plasma, did not significantly affect the time of onset or the frequency of exflagellation.4. In a solution, isotonic to bird blood and adjusted to approximately pH 8, containing NaCl, KC1, CaCl2, Na2HPO4, MgSO4, NaHCO3 and Tris buffer, the in vitro development of the gametocytes was normal, and the numbers developing were comparable to those in horse serum, or in plasma or serum from the normal host. The development of the gametocytes was inhibited by the omission of Na or HCO3 ions, but the omission of Mg, K, Ca, SO4 or HPO4 ions had no effect.5. Further experiments showed that the gametocytes emerged from the corpuscles and the males exflagellated normally in a solution containing only Na, C1 and HCO3 ions. Other combinations of ions were tested, but although gametocytes emerged from the corpuscles in some of these solutions, exflagellation either did not take place or did so infrequently, and the gametes produced were feeble in their movements. Within the range of inorganic salts tested, Na, HCO3 and C1 ions constituted the minimal requirement for the normal in vitro development of the male gametocytes.