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Biomedical subjects

Andrew Moore

Publications and source records attributed to Andrew Moore.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Effects of a pyrethroid pesticide on endocrine responses to female odours and reproductive behaviour in male parr of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.).

Reproductive behaviour of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) from an anadromous stock was studied in a large stream water aquarium. Four adult males and two ovulated females were placed in the aquarium together with eight mature male parr. Four of the parr were exposed during the previous 4 days to two concentrations (0.1 or 1.0 microgl(-1)) of the pyrethroid pesticide cypermethrin (a disrupter of olfactory receptor function) and four of the parr to the solvent ethanol. The behaviour of all fish was followed for 24h and then blood and milt was collected. Exposure to the higher concentration of cypermethrin disturbed the reproductive behaviour of the parr. They displayed fewer courting events, spent less time near the nesting females and had lower volumes of strippable milt. They also had significantly lower amounts of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) in the blood plasma than the control group. The higher cypermethrin group also had significantly lower levels of all these variables than the lower cypermethrin group, apart from strippable milt that showed no significant differences between two groups. No significant differences in non-reproductive behaviours were observed between any of the groups. In the control fish, there were significant positive correlations between (a) the number of courting events and the amount of time spent near the female, (b) blood plasma levels of 17alpha,20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20beta-P) and time spent near the female and (c) plasma levels of 17,20beta-P and the number of courting events. Further, in control fish, higher plasma levels of 17,20beta-P were observed in parr interacting with a female compared to those with no female contacts. A priming experiment confirmed a previous study that cypermethrin damages olfactory reception. Parr exposed to cypermethrin had significantly lower blood plasma levels of 17,20beta-P and 11-KT than control males after exposure to ovarian fluid and urine (known to contain reproductive priming pheromones). When ethanol-exposed males were exposed to ovarian fluid and urine they had significantly higher plasma levels of 17,20beta-P compared to those exposed to water only.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2005

Transgenic expression of bean alpha-amylase inhibitor in peas results in altered structure and immunogenicity.

The development of modern gene technologies allows for the expression of recombinant proteins in non-native hosts. Diversity in translational and post-translational modification pathways between species could potentially lead to discrete changes in the molecular architecture of the expressed protein and subsequent cellular function and antigenicity. Here, we show that transgenic expression of a plant protein (alpha-amylase inhibitor-1 from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Tendergreen)) in a non-native host (transgenic pea (Pisum sativum L.)) led to the synthesis of a structurally modified form of this inhibitor. Employing models of inflammation, we demonstrated in mice that consumption of the modified alphaAI and not the native form predisposed to antigen-specific CD4+ Th2-type inflammation. Furthermore, consumption of the modified alphaAI concurrently with other heterogeneous proteins promoted immunological cross priming, which then elicited specific immunoreactivity of these proteins. Thus, transgenic expression of non-native proteins in plants may lead to the synthesis of structural variants possessing altered immunogenicity.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Bayesian modelling of imperfect ascertainment methods in cancer studies.

Tumour registry linkage, chart review and patient self-report are all commonly used ascertainment methods in cancer epidemiology. These methods are used for estimating the incidence or prevalence of different cancer types in a population, and for investigating the effects of possible risk factors for cancer. Tumour registry linkage is often treated as a gold standard, but in fact none of these methods is error free, and failure to adjust for imperfect ascertainment can lead to biased estimates. This is true both if the goal of the study is to estimate the properties of each ascertainment type, or if it is to estimate cancer incidence or prevalence from one or more of these methods. Although rarely applied in the literature to date, when cancer is ascertained by three or more methods, standard latent class models can be used to estimate cancer incidence or prevalence while adjusting for the estimated imperfect sensitivities and specificities of each ascertainment method. These models, however, do not account for variations in these properties across different cancer sites. To address this problem, we extend latent class methodology to include a hierarchical component, which accommodates different ascertainment properties across cancer sites. We apply our model to a data set of 169 lupus patients with three ascertainment methods and eight cancer types. This allows us to estimate the properties of each ascertainment method without assuming any to be a gold standard, and to calculate a standardized incidence ratio for cancer for lupus patients compared to the general population. As our data set is small, we also illustrate the effects as more data become available. We show that our model produces parameter estimates that are substantially different from the currently most popular method of ascertainment, which uses tumour registry data alone.

Bayes Theorem↗
PubMed2005

Management of opiate detoxification in jails.

Little is known about how jails manage opiate withdrawal among arrestees and inmates. We conducted a national survey of 500 jails in the United States. We specifically asked about assessment and management opiate dependency among arrestees and use of standardized protocols. Among the 245 jails that responded, more than half (56%) reported they routinely assessed arrestees for opiate dependency and most (59%) reported using standardized detoxification protocols. Fifty percent of jails used clonidine for detoxification. Very few jails (1%) used methadone or other opiates (2%) for detoxification. Half of all jails (49%) failed to use clonidine, methadone or other opiates for detoxification. These results show that many jails fail use recommended opiate detoxification procedures and highlight the need for uniform national standards for jail management of opiate dependence.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

The effect of atrazine on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts in fresh water and after sea water transfer.

Groups of Atlantic salmon smolts were exposed to low levels of the pesticide atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-S-triazine) (0-22.7microgl(-1)) in fresh water and the physiological effects of exposure were measured. Further experiments exposed salmon smolts to similar levels of atrazine in fresh water, and then exposed them to full strength sea water. Atrazine in fresh water resulted in a significant reduction in gill Na(+)K(+)ATPase activity at concentrations of 2.0, 5.0 and 10.0microgl(-1). There were few other physiological changes in the smolts except for slightly elevated plasma cortisol concentrations and monovalent ion concentrations at and above 5.0microgl(-1). However, a sea water challenge caused mortalities in smolts that had been pre-exposed to atrazine in fresh water at concentrations of 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0 and 22.7microgl(-1). Moreover, surviving fish showed signs of major physiological stress: elevated plasma cortisol, thyroxine, osmolality, and monovalent ion concentrations. However, atrazine exposure had no effect on muscle or plasma water contents. The data suggests that exposure of salmon smolts to atrazine in fresh water may compromise their physiological capabilities to survive in saline conditions.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2004

Jail management of arrestees/inmates enrolled in community methadone maintenance programs.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that many jails fail to adequately detoxify arrestees/inmates who are enrolled in methadone programs, but there are few empirical data. The objective of this study was to assess how jails manage arrestees/inmates enrolled in methadone programs. A national survey of 500 jails in the United States was conducted. Surveys were mailed to the 200 largest jails in the country in addition to a random sample of 300 of the remaining jails (10% sample). Jails were specifically asked about management of opiate dependency among arrestees/inmates enrolled in methadone programs. Weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess predictors of continuing methadone during incarceration and use of recommended detoxification protocols. Among the 245 (49%) jails that responded, only 1 in 4 (27%) reported they contacted the methadone programs regarding dose, and only 1 in 8 (12%) continued methadone during the incarceration. Very few (2%) jails used methadone or other opiates for detoxification. Most used clonidine. However, half (48%) of jails failed to use clonidine, methadone, or other opiates to detoxify inmates from methadone. Weighted logistic regression models showed that moderately large jails and those located in the South and Midwest were significantly more likely to continue methadone. Very large jails, those with an estimated prevalence of opiate dependence of 6%-10% among arrestees/inmates, and those located in the Northeast were significantly more likely to use recommended detoxification protocols. Very few jails provided continuous treatment to arrested persons on methadone, and half failed to detoxify arrestees/inmates using recommended protocols. These practices jeopardize the health and well-being of persons enrolled in methadone programs and underscore the need for uniform national policies within jails.

Heroin Dependence↗