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Classical swine fever (CSF) is considered to be endemic in Peru with outbreaks reported to the World Organization for Animal Health as recently as 2008 and 2009. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the genetic subgroup(s) of CSF virus that are circulating in Peru or their relationship to recent CSF viruses that have been isolated from neighbouring South American countries or other parts of the world. In this study, we molecularly characterize CSF viruses that were isolated from domestic pigs from different regions of Peru from the middle of 2007 to early 2008. All virus isolates were found to belong to genetic subgroup 1.1, consistent with the subgroup of viruses that have been identified from other South American countries. Although the Peruvian isolates are most closely related to viruses from Colombia and Brazil, they form a monophyletic clade, which suggests they have a distinct evolutionary history.

Purpose: We developed a measurable metastatic disease model of murine neuroblastoma. Materials and Methods: Murine neuroblastoma cells (C 1300) were cotransfected with plasmids encoding for neomycin resistance and beta-galactosidase. Transfected cells were selected by culture in media containing gentamicin. Monoclonal and polyclonal transfected cell lines were selected from surviving colonies. Three cell lines (M1, P1 and P2) were cultured and inoculated into female A/J mice. A control group was included for analysis. Animals were sacrificed on day 18 after injection, and primary tumors and organs were assayed for beta-galactosidase activity by chemoluminescence assay. Animal livers were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological assessment. Results: Transfected primary tumor tissue demonstrated beta-galactosidase activity. Livers from control mice had no beta-galactosidase activity. Of the 3 cell tested M1 showed the highest levels of beta-galactosidase activity in liver and lung, suggesting homology with human disease. Kidneys from all experimental groups had elevated beta-galactosidase activity, suggesting that the kidney is a common metastatic site for murine neuroblastoma. Hematoxylin and eosin sections demonstrated normal livers in control mice and micrometastases in the livers of all experimental animals. Conclusions: A novel metastatic disease model for murine neuroblastoma has been developed. By transfecting tumor cells with genetic material encoding 2 marker proteins distant metastases may be detected by assay for beta-galactosidase or cells can be selected for neomycin resistance, even at a stage when they are difficult to identify by standard histological techniques.

Selected varieties of opium poppy were crossed in pairs to determine to what extent certain desirable agronomic characters might be combined in new genotypes. Of the six crosses made, two were studied in detail and the others observed more generally. Recombinations of the required characters occurred fairly freely in the first cross and F5 lines have been selected which produce up to twice as much morphine per acre as either parent. Suitable recombinations were rare in the second cross, but the other four yielded segregates which combined the desirable characters in varying degree.

Microglandular adenosis is a rare epithelial lesion of the breast which is regarded as benign. The disease can mimic invasive tumour as it often appears as randomly distributed single glands interspersed through breast parenchyma. Additionally, these glands do not have a myoepithelial layer unlike typical benign breast lesions or in situlesions. Invasive carcinoma arising from micro-glandular adenosis can show variable differentiation.

THE genus Duboisia comprises three species: D. hopwoodii F. Muell. is confined to the interior of the Australian continent, D. leichhardtii F. Muell. has a restricted occurrence in the highlands of southeastern Queensland, and D. myoporoides R. Br. occurs along the eastern coast of Australia and in New Caledonia. The leaves of all three species contain major quantities of alkaloids; but the genus is unique in that one species, D. hopwoodii, contains the pyridine alkaloids nicotine and nor-nicotine, whereas the other two contain various alkaloids of the tropane group. Efforts to detect tropane alkaloids among the minor alkaloids of D. hopwoodii have failed. Similarly, although the other two Australian species contain volatile bases, the occurrence of nicotine or nor-nicotine has not been demonstrated.