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A Moore

Publications and source records attributed to A Moore.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

[Molecular basis of the primary ciliary dyskinesias].

INTRODUCTION: The primary ciliary dyskinesias (PCD) are rare diseases characterised by infection of the airways due to impaired muco-ciliary clearance. Half the patients have situs inversus making up Kartagener's syndrome. STATE OF THE ART: Primary cilia play a role in development. In the adult ciliated cells occur mainly in the airways and the genital tract. The axoneme, the internal structure of the cilia, is made up of a central pair of microtubules surrounded by peripheral doublets carrying the inner and outer dynein arms. These multiprotein complexes are composed of chains of dynein whose ATPase activity is the basis of ciliary movement. Structural and functional abnormalities of the respiratory ciliated cells are the cause of PCD, diseases that are heterogeneous at both the genetic and ultrastructural levels. PERSPECTIVES: There are more than two hundred axonemal proteins. The synthesis and assembly of these proteins are controlled by transcription factors and intraflagellar transport molecules respectively. The genes that code for these proteins are as numerous as candidate genes for PCD. CONCLUSIONS: To date only two dynein genes, DNA11 and DNAH5, have been implicated and only in individuals suffering from PCD with absence of outer dynein arms.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Smooth muscle actin and vimentin as markers of testis development in the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).

Testicular development in the harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena was examined using animals (n = 192) stranded or by-caught off the coast of England, Wales and Scotland. Classification of animals according to their stage of sexual development was undertaken using gonadal morphology and the distribution of cytoskeletal proteins. Smooth muscle actin (SMA) and vimentin proved particularly useful in this respect; SMA was prominent in the myoid peritubular cells of the adult testis, and two stages of peritubular cell SMA expression could be recognized ('absent' or 'incomplete'). The initial appearance of SMA in peritubular cells was associated with significant increases in body length and body weight (P < 0.001), and occurred during the second year of life. Vimentin, which was prominent in prespermatogonia and spermatogonia, sometimes showed a polarized cytoplasmic distribution. This correlated with a developmental stage at which the seminiferous tubule epithelium becomes populated by germ cells (mean age 1.8 years). Several antibodies were tested for their utility as Sertoli cell markers, but none was found to be specific or useful. Nevertheless, immunohistochemical localization of desmin, GATA-4, Ki67 and androgen receptor was possible despite the poor quality of tissue preservation. This study showed that immunohistochemical classification of these individuals provides a robust basis for the recognition of key physiological stages of sexual development in the male harbour porpoise. This may provide an alternative to the estimation of age, body weight and body length in future analyses aimed at detecting possible adverse effects of environmental pollutants on the reproductive potential of wild marine mammals.

Actins↗
PubMed2004

Fate of Escherichia coli originating from livestock faeces deposited directly onto pasture.

AIMS: To determine the fate of Escherichia coli deposited onto grassland via faeces, from naturally colonized cattle, sheep or pigs. METHODS AND RESULTS: Groups of cattle, sheep and pigs were penned outdoors on grass during November, and removed after 14 days. Escherichia coli populations in the ground declined over 134 days from initial average levels of 5.34, 4.31 and 4.96 log(10) CFU g(-1) in cattle, sheep and pig pens, respectively. The maximum Escherichia coli survival time was up to 162 days (190 days taking sampling interval and deposition time into account), but numbers varied significantly amongst the 20 replicates taken each day. Escherichia coli originating from cattle and sheep had average decimal reduction times (D-values) of 38 and 36 days, respectively; E. coli originating from pigs declined significantly faster (average D-value of 26 days). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Escherichia coli from livestock faeces can survive on grass for at least 5-6 months, affording opportunity for pathogenic biotypes to contaminate animals, plants or water.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Levels of zoonotic agents in British livestock manures.

AIMS: To determine the prevalence and levels of zoonotic agents in livestock wastes. METHODS AND RESULTS: A proportionally weighted survey was undertaken and livestock waste samples analysed quantitatively for Escherichia coli O157, pathogenic Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. A significant proportion of wastes contained at least one zoonotic agent. Relationships were found between dry matter content and the presence and levels of some zoonotic agents. CONCLUSIONS: British livestock wastes contain measurable levels of the zoonotic agents that cause most cases of gastroenteritis in the UK. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Animal wastes are disposed of by spreading to agricultural land used for the production of crops and livestock grazing. As British wastes are contaminated with significant levels of zoonotic agents, the practice may represent a way for pathogens to travel further up the food chain.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Frequency and spatial distribution of environmental Campylobacter spp.

Humans are exposed to Campylobacter spp. in a range of sources via both food and environmental pathways. For this study, we explored the frequency and distribution of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in a 10- by 10-km square rural area of Cheshire, United Kingdom. The area contains approximately 70, mainly dairy, farms and is used extensively for outdoor recreational activities. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from a range of environmental samples by use of a systematic sampling grid. Livestock (mainly cattle) and wildlife feces and environmental water and soil samples were cultured, and isolates were presumptively identified by standard techniques. These isolates were further characterized by PCR. Campylobacter jejuni was the most prevalent species in all animal samples, ranging from 11% in samples from nonavian wildlife to 36% in cattle feces, and was isolated from 15% of water samples. Campylobacter coli was commonly found in water (17%) and sheep (21%) samples, but rarely in other samples. Campylobacter lari was recovered from all sample types, with the exception of sheep feces, and was found in moderate numbers in birds (7%) and water (5%). Campylobacter hyointestinalis was only recovered from cattle (7%) and birds (1%). The spatial distribution and determinants of C. jejuni in cattle feces were examined by the use of model-based spatial statistics. The distribution was consistent with very localized within-farm or within-field transmission and showed little evidence of any larger-scale spatial dependence. We concluded that there is a potentially high risk of human exposure to Campylobacter spp., particularly C. jejuni, in the environment of our study area. The prevalence and likely risk posed by C. jejuni-positive cattle feces in the environment diminished as the fecal material aged. After we took into account the age of the fecal material, the absence or presence of rain, and the presence of bird feces, there was evidence of significant variation in the prevalence of C. jejuni-positive cattle feces between grazing fields but no evidence of spatial clustering beyond this resolution. The spatial pattern of C. jejuni is therefore consistent with that for an organism that is ubiquitous in areas contaminated with cattle feces, with a short-scale variation in infection intensity that cannot be explained solely by variations in the age of the fecal material. The observed pattern is not consistent with large-scale transmission attributable to watercourses, wildlife territories, or other geographical features that transcend field and farm boundaries.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Effect of length of time before incorporation on survival of pathogenic bacteria present in livestock wastes applied to agricultural soil.

In response to reports that the contamination of food can occur during the on-farm primary phase of food production, we report data that describes a possible cost-effective intervention measure. The effect of time before soil incorporation of livestock wastes spread to land on the rate of decline of zoonotic agents present in the waste was investigated. Fresh livestock wastes were inoculated with laboratory-cultured Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter spp. and Escherichia coli O157 before they were spread onto soil. Incorporation of the spread wastes was either immediate, delayed for 1 week, or did not occur at all. Bacterial decline was monitored over time and found to be significantly more rapid for all waste types when they were left on the soil surface. There were no significant differences in initial bacterial decline rates when wastes were spread in summer or winter. Our results indicate that not incorporating contaminated livestock wastes into soil is a potential intervention measure that may help to limit the spread of zoonotic agents further up the food chain. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to current advice for livestock waste disposal.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2004

Time dependent risk of gastrointestinal complications induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use: a consensus statement using a meta-analytic approach.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an updated document assessing the global, NSAID-specific, and time dependent risk of gastrointestinal (GI) complications through meta-analyses of high quality studies. METHODS: An exhaustive systematic search was performed. Inclusion criteria were: RCT or controlled study, duration of 5 days at least, inactive control, assessment of minor or major NSAID adverse effects, publication range January 1985 to January 2003. The publications retrieved were assessed during a specifically dedicated WHO meeting including leading experts in all related fields. Statistics were performed conservatively. Meta-regression was performed by regressing NSAID adjusted estimates against study duration categories. RESULTS: Among RCT data, indolic derivates provided a significantly higher risk of GI complications related to NSAID use than for non-users: RR = 2.25 (1.00; 5.08) than did other compounds: naproxen: RR = 1.83 (1.25; 2.68); diclofenac: RR = 1.73 (1.21; 2.46); piroxicam: RR = 1.66 (1.14; 2.44); tenoxicam: RR = 1.43 (0.40; 5.14); meloxicam: RR = 1.24 (0.98; 1.56), and ibuprofen: RR = 1.19 (0.93; 1.54). Indometacin users had a maximum relative risk for complication at 14 days. The other compounds presented a better profile, with a maximum risk at 50 days. Significant additional risk factors included age, dose, and underlying disease. The controlled cohort studies provided higher estimates: RR = 2.22 (1.7; 2.9). Publication bias testing was significant, towards a selective publication of deleterious effects of NSAIDs from small sized studies. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis characterised the "compound" and "time" aspects of the GI toxicity of non-selective NSAIDs. The risk/benefit ratio of such compounds should thus be carefully and individually evaluated at the start of long term treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

An assessment of the microbiological risks involved with egg washing under commercial conditions.

The potential benefits of washing eggs is offset by a historical perception in the European Union that wetted eggs are prone to spoilage and water loss. This study describes the effects of spray jet washing under various processing conditions to shell surface counts of Salmonella and the presence of bacteria in egg contents. Experiments used eggs that were contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 or Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 before cuticle hardening. Washing of contaminated eggs under optimum conditions resulted in a more than 5-log reduction of Salmonella counts from the shell surface. Salmonella was not isolated from the yolk or albumen of any egg washed by the optimal protocol, suggesting that when properly controlled, egg washing did not cause Salmonella to enter the contents. However, contamination did arise if strict control was not maintained over the wash and rinse water temperatures. Both Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium were shown to enter the egg contents when water temperatures were lowered, indicating that strict temperature control must be maintained in order to prevent the ingress of Salmonella into egg contents. Other washing machine parameters that were investigated did not significantly affect Salmonella entry into the egg contents but influenced shell surface kill levels to varying degrees.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

A refractory case of vasovagal syncope treated with theophylline.

We report the case of a 23 year-old female with neurocardiogenic syncope refractory to treatment with other agents who responded to theophylline. Despite inconsistent clinical trial evidence to support its use, theophylline may prove useful in individual cases.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Development of an anaerobic capacity test for field sport athletes.

Maximally accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) has been argued to be currently the best non-invasive method for estimating anaerobic capacity (Medbø et al., 1988, Ramsbottom et al., 1997). An easy to administer field test that could accurately predict MAOD, would be of great use to many field sport athletes and coaches. Fifteen male rugby union players undertook MAOD testing (99.4 +/- 16.9ml x kg(-1)) on a treadmill using a modification of procedure 3 as described by Medbø et al. (1988). All subjects also performed a 300m Shuttle Run Test (66.7 +/- 2.2s), run over a 20m distance. Analysis of the MAOD and 300m Shuttle Run Test time relationship revealed a significant correlation of r = -0.69 [p<0.01). Furthermore, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that when subjects were split into 'good' and 'poor' groups based on 300m Shuttle Run Test times, the times distinguished between 'good' and 'poor' MAOD values (P<0.05). The findings of the present study support the validity of the 300m Shuttle Run Test as a useful estimate of anaerobic capacity in football athletes. Unexplained variance could be due to speed and agility factors associated with the 300m Shuttle Run Test. Methodological issues pertaining to the accurate assessment of MAOD are also discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The challenge of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense sleeping sickness diagnosis outside Africa.

Sleeping sickness is a lethal African disease caused by parasites of the Trypanosoma brucei subspecies, which is transmitted by tsetse flies. Occasionally, patients are reported outside Africa. Diagnosis of such imported cases can be problematic when the infection is due to Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, the chronic form of sleeping sickness found in west and central Africa. The low number of trypanosomes in the blood and the non-specific, variable symptoms make the diagnosis difficult, particularly when the index of suspicion is low. When the trypanosomes have penetrated into the central nervous system, neuropathological signs become apparent but even at this stage, misdiagnosis is frequent. Rapid and correct diagnosis of sleeping sickness can avoid inappropriate or delayed treatment and even death of the patient. In this article, an overview on diagnosis of imported cases of T b gambiense sleeping sickness is given, and possible pitfalls in the diagnostic process are highlighted. Bioclinical parameters that should raise the suspicion of sleeping sickness in a patient who has been in west or central Africa are discussed. Techniques for diagnosis are reviewed. A clinician suspecting sleeping sickness should contact a national reference centre for tropical medicine in his or her country, or the WHO, Geneva, Switzerland, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA, for clinical consultation and provision of specific diagnostic tests. Appropriate drugs for sleeping sickness treatment are also provided by WHO and the CDC.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

The cardiovascular system.

The ageing process is associated with important changes in the responses of the cardiovascular system to pharmacological stimuli. They are not limited to the arterial system, involved in the modulation of cardiac afterload and vascular resistance, but they also involve the low-resistance capacitance venous system and the heart. The main changes include loss of large artery compliance, dysfunction of some of the systems modulating resistance vessel tone, increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, and reduced haemodynamic responses to inotropic agents. This review focuses on the effects of ageing on arterial and venous reactivity to drugs and hormones, the autonomic nervous system, and the cardiovascular responses to inotropic agents. Some of the age-related changes might be at least partially reversible. This may have important therapeutic implications.

Aging↗
PubMed2003

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat protein directly activates neuronal N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors at an allosteric zinc-sensitive site.

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) regulatory protein Tat is neurotoxic and may be involved in the neuropathogenesis of HIV-1 dementia, in part via N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation. Here, in acutely isolated rat hippocampal neurons, Tat evoked inward currents reversing near 0 mV, with a negative slope conductance region characteristic of NMDA receptor activation. Although the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine blocked Tat's actions, competitive glutamate- and glycine-binding site antagonists were ineffective (AP-5 and 5,7-dichlorokynurenate, respectively). Evidence for Tat acting at a distinct modulatory site on the NR1 subunit of NMDA receptors was provided by findings that 1 microM Zn(2+) abolished Tat-evoked responses in all neurons tested. Thus, Tat appears to excite neurons via direct activation of the NMDA receptor at an allosteric Zn(2+)-sensitive site.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗