Cats naturally infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) develop an AIDS-like syndrome whereas experimentally infected cats do not. To investigate the role of cofactors in the development of this disease in cats, 7 specific pathogen-free (SPF) and 12 random-source (RS) cats were infected with FIV. Over 4 years, infected cats developed similar phenotypic and functional immune abnormalities characterized by early and chronic inversion of CD4+:CD8+ cell ratios and significantly decreased mitogen responses compared with controls. Beginning 18-24 months after infection, 10 RS cats developed chronic clinical disease typical of feline AIDS, including stomatitis and recurrent upper respiratory disease; 4 SPF cats also developed chronic clinical disease, 2 with neurologic disease and 2 with B cell lymphomas. Thus, immunologic background is important in the type of disease that develops in cats infected with FIV, and FIV represents a promising animal model for studying the immunopathogenesis of AIDS in humans.

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The total costs of producing Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum, Thunb.) were developed for firms with 1,800 m2, 9,000 m2, and 36,000 m2 of production area. Economies of size existed in 2 market channels (mass market and full service florist). The total costs of Easter lilies to producers in the mass market marketing channel, including the cost of 6.31% bulbs that did not emerge, were $2.08, $1.83, and $1.63 per pot for the 1.800 m2, 9,000 m2, and 36,000 m2 firms, respectively. Costs were $0.48, $0.36, and $0.32 higher per pot for the florist producers than for the mass market producers for the small, medium, and large firms, respectively.