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Biomedical subjects

C Jenkins

Publications and source records attributed to C Jenkins.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2025

Causation and epidemiological features of proliferative lip and facial lesions in Lao goats.

Past surveys and studies have identified a syndrome of lip and facial dermatitis as common in Lao goats and identified Orf virus (ORFV) as the likely cause. To more definitively determine the cause of this syndrome, a matched case-control study was implemented in 70 smallholder goat farms and a large-scale goat holding from Savannakhet province, Laos. Forty-one scab samples from goats with lip and facial dermatitis (cases) and 41 paired samples from unaffected animals (controls) were collected from 31 goat holdings over 12&#x2009;months. Samples were tested using quantitative PCR assays targeting possible pathogens causing such lesions. The prevalence of PCR-positive samples in case and control goats was 100% and 95.1%, respectively, for ORFV (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.15) and 19.5% and 29.3% (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.3) for Dermatophilus congolensis. Pseudocowpox virus and bovine popular stomatitis virus were not detected in any samples. There was a clear difference between the log10 genome copies (GC) per &#xb5;L DNA extract of ORFV in positive samples from cases (7.00&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.17) and controls (2.62&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.18, P&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.0001). This was not true for D. congolensis with similar GC detected in the case and control goats. More than 4 log higher GC in affected cases identifies ORFV as the likely cause of the syndrome in Lao goats with little role for D. congolensis. Phylogenetic analysis showed no genetic variation of ORFV in the study samples and close similarity to sequences from China. The findings suggest that orf disease has a sporadic distribution, mostly occurring in goats during the first 6-months of life.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Structure and developmental expression of the mouse CCK-B receptor gene.

Cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin exert their effects through two receptors, the CCK-A and CCK-B receptors. We have cloned the mouse CCK-B receptor gene (Cckbr) and determined its complete genomic structure, nucleotide sequence, and tissue-specific expression pattern. Cckbr is divided into five exons spanning 11 kb. A primer extension assay was used to map the transcription initiation site to 199 bp upstream of the translational start site. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends was used to localize the 3' end downstream of an atypical polyadenylation site (GATAAA). Mouse Cckbr transcripts were most abundant in brain and stomach, but were also detected in colon, kidney, ovary, and pancreas. Prenatal expression of both CCK-A and CCK-B receptors in various tissues was analyzed by RT-PCR. The expression pattern was similar to the adult pattern, suggesting that receptor transcription is an early event in gastrointestinal development.

Aging↗
PubMed2000

Evidence of a T(H) 1 type response associated with recurrent miscarriage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the T(H) 1 cytokine interferon (IFN)-gamma is associated with miscarriage whereas the T(H) 2 cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 is associated with successful pregnancy. DESIGN: Controlled clinical study. SETTING: Healthy volunteers in an academic setting. PATIENT(S): Group 1 comprised 10 nonpregnant women; group 2, 10 first-trimester primigravid women; group 3, 10 first-trimester primigravid women suffering spontaneous abortion; and group 4, 10 first-trimester pregnant women with a history of miscarriage. All women were pregnant at the time of sampling, but 5 miscarried later in the first trimester. INTERVENTION(S): None of the patients received any medication. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum levels of IL-10 and IFN-gamma. RESULT(S): Levels of IL-10 were significantly raised in normal pregnancy. Levels of IFN-gamma were raised in the recurrent-miscarriage group as compared with normal pregnancy. When patients in group 4 were divided into those whose pregnancies went to term and those who miscarried, we found that successful pregnancy was associated with a statistically significant increase in IL-10, whereas miscarriage was associated with significantly increased levels of IFN-gamma. CONCLUSION(S): These results support the view that miscarriage is associated with a T(H) 1 type response.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1999

Differences between asthma exacerbations and poor asthma control.

BACKGROUND: Increased variation in peak expiratory flow (PEF) is characteristic of poorly controlled asthma, and measurement of diurnal variability of PEF has been recommended for assessment of asthma severity, including during exacerbations. We aimed to test whether asthma exacerbations had the same PEF characteristics as poor asthma control. METHODS: Electronic PEF records from 43 patients with initially poorly controlled asthma were examined for all exacerbations that occurred after PEF reached a plateau with inhaled corticosteroid treatment. Diurnal variability of PEF was compared during exacerbations, run-in (poor asthma control), and the period of stable asthma before each exacerbation. FINDINGS: Diurnal variability was 21.3% during poor asthma control and improved to 5.3% (stable asthma) with inhaled corticosteroid treatment. 40 exacerbations occurred in 26 patients over 2-16 months; 38 (95%) of exacerbations were associated with symptoms of clinical respiratory infection. During exacerbations, consecutive PEF values fell linearly over several days then improved linearly. However, diurnal variability during exacerbations (7.7%) was not significantly higher than during stable asthma (5.4%, p=0.1). PEF data were consistent with impaired response to inhaled beta2-agonist during exacerbations but not during poorly controlled asthma. INTERPRETATION: Asthmatics remain vulnerable to exacerbations during clinical respiratory infections, even after asthma is brought under control. Calculation of diurnal variability may fail to detect important changes in lung function. PEF variation is strikingly different during exacerbations compared with poor asthma control, suggesting differences in beta2-adrenoceptor function between these conditions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Serodiagnosis of infection with verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli.

Human sera (167) were screened for antibodies to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) prepared from strains of Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) belonging to a range of serogroups, secreted proteins expressed by attaching and effacing VTEC, enterohaemolysin and H = 7 flagellar proteins. Twelve sera (about 7%) contained antibodies to the LPS of E. coli 05 (one), 026 (two), 0115 (two), 0145 (one), 0163 (one) and 0165 (five). Sera containing antibodies to the LPS of E. coli O26 and O145 also contained antibodies to secreted proteins of 100 and 40 kDa. An additional 34 sera, known to contain antibodies to the lipopolysaccharide of E. coli O157, were examined for antibodies to enterohaemolysin, H = 7 flagellar antigens and bacterial cell surface-associated proteins of 5, 6 and 22 kDa. Three sera contained antibodies to enterohaemolysin and one serum contained antibodies to flagellar proteins. Antibodies to membrane-associated proteins were not detected. It was concluded that enterohaemolysin, H = 7 flagellar proteins and the cell surface-associated proteins were unsuitable for use in immunoassays for providing evidence of infection with VTEC.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

The serodiagnosis of infections caused by Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli.

Patients with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and haemorrhagic colitis (HC) produce serum antibodies to the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of Escherichia coli O157 and certain other E. coli serogroups. Patients may also make salivary antibodies to the LPS of E. coli O157. Serological tests based on these antibodies can be used to provide evidence of infection in the absence of culturable VTEC or the toxins they produce. Serum antibodies to LPS persist for several months following onset of disease, enabling both current and retrospective serological testing. The LPS of E. coli O157 shares epitopes with strains of Brucella abortus, Yersinia enterocolitica O9, Vibrio cholerae O1 Inaba, group N Salmonella and certain strains of Citrobacter freundii and E. hermanni. Serological tests for serum antibodies to E. coli O157 should be evaluated in the light of these cross-reactions. Serological tests to supply evidence of infection with E. coli O157 have been shown to provide a valuable adjunct to bacteriological procedures for detecting culturable VTEC and VT. The use of well characterized LPS antigens in association with the techniques of ELISA and immunoblotting provide valuable procedures for detecting evidence of infection with E. coli O157 and possibly other VTEC.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1998

Dendritic cell heterogeneity in vivo: two functionally different dendritic cell populations in rat intestinal lymph can be distinguished by CD4 expression.

DC derived from rat pseudo-afferent lymph (L-DC) vary in CD4, CD11b/c, Thy1, and OX41 expression. CD4 and OX41 are expressed by the same subpopulation (50-60%) of L-DC. CD4+/OX41+ L-DC express short fine processes and low nonspecific esterase, whereas CD4- DC/OX41- express long pseudopodia, high nonspecific esterase, and many cytoplasmic inclusions. These differences are stable in culture. Both populations express similar amounts of MHC class II, ICAM-1, CD11b/c and OX62. Most CD4-/OX41- L-DC are strongly positive for B7, but CD4+ L-DC express less B7, and some may be negative. Both populations express invariant chain, but both the absolute numbers and levels of expression were higher for CD4- DC. Surprisingly, CD4+ L-DC are more potent APC than CD4- cells in MLRs, for sensitized T cells in vitro and for naive T cells in vivo. Cultured CD4+/OX41+ DC can still process and present native Ag. Cultured CD4-/OX41- cells cannot present native Ag but can stimulate strong MLRs. CD4- DC invariant chain expression decreases in culture, whereas expression by CD4+ DC is stable for 48 h. CD4+ and CD4- L-DC have similar turnover times in vivo, suggesting that one population is not the precursor of the other. Thus, two separate DC populations that differ functionally and phenotypically migrate from intestine to mesenteric nodes. This may reflect distinct DC lineages or differentiation modulated by different microenvironmental stimuli.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Dendritic cells interact directly with naive B lymphocytes to transfer antigen and initiate class switching in a primary T-dependent response.

Dendritic cells (DC) are thought to initiate Ab synthesis by activation of T cells, which then provide cytokine and cell-bound "help" to B cells. Here, we provide evidence that DC can capture and retain unprocessed Ag in vitro and in vivo, and can transfer this Ag to naive B cells to initiate a specific Ab response. The response is skewed with 4- to 13-fold higher titers of IgG than IgM, and the predominant subclasses of Ab produced in naive animals are those associated with Th2-type responses. Ag retention and the skew in class switching is a physiologic phenomenon because DC loaded with Ag in vivo and isolated 24 h later initiated a class-switched, Ag-specific Ab response in naive animals. In vitro studies confirmed that DC provide naive B cells with signals that are essential for the synthesis of class-switched Ab. Taken together, these observations show that DC have an important role in the initiation of Ab synthesis by direct interaction with B cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Implementing preventive services: to what extent can we change provider performance in ambulatory care? A review of the screening, immunization, and counseling literature.

Strategies to improve the delivery of preventive care often consist of office-based interventions, which are designed to modify provider behaviors or practice patterns. We report on a meta-analysis of 117 behavioral outcomes extracted from 43 studies. Meta-analytic techniques were used to express the results in a common metric, which allowed quantitative comparisons across outcomes. Studies were examined by domains of preventive care (screening, immunization, and counseling) and divided into two groups based on unit of analysis (provider or patient categories). The mean effect size reflects the difference in proportion of physicians providing the targeted behavior between the experimental and comparison groups. In the provider category, the weighted mean effect size for screening was .14, for immunization was .18, and for counseling was .28. In the patient category, the weighted means for screening and immunization were .12 and .15, respectively, but were smaller for the counseling (.08). Because tests for homogeneity of effect sizes were rejected in the patient category, caution in interpreting mean effect sizes is warranted because of variability across individual values. In summary, office-based interventions were found to have positive effects on providers' adherence to preventive recommendations. We discuss the methodological issues and needs for future work to enhance the delivery of preventive services.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1998

Depression in radiation oncology patients: a preliminary evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Some, but not all, patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer experience depression. Recognition of depression in these patients is complicated by the effects of cancer, chemotherapy and radiation. METHODS: Total scores of the 30-item Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report (IDS-SR) were used to divide 52 consecutive radiation oncology outpatients into those with depressive symptoms (n = 16) and those without (n = 36). These 2 groups were compared to find which depressive symptoms occurred and what risk factors were associated with them. RESULTS: Cognitive and endogenous, but not vegetative, symptoms of depression were helpful in distinguishing the 2 groups. A personal or family history of treated depression-but not the number of radiation treatments received-was also predictive of those with depressive symptoms. LIMITATIONS: The patient population studied was small and diverse. Self-reports scores, rather than structured psychiatric interviews, were used to define clinically significant depression. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms are not inevitable with cancer. Patient reports of thoughts of death or suicide, feeling restless, or diminished mood response to good events should prompt a more thorough evaluation for depression. A personal or family history of treated depression appears to be associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms.

Depression↗
PubMed1998

Serum antibodies to secreted proteins in patients infected with Escherichia coli O157 and other VTEC.

Certain strains of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), and in particular those belonging to serogroup O157, cause attaching and effacing (AE) lesions of the host gut mucosa during pathogenesis. The mechanisms involved with bacterial attachment and the destruction of microvilli are determined by a cluster of genes within the LEE region, which also encode five secreted proteins. Sera from patients with antibodies to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of E. coli O157 and other VTEC were tested for antibodies to these secreted proteins. Twenty-one of 34 (62%) sera with antibodies to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of E. coli O157 also contained antibodies to one or more of the secreted proteins. Five of 12 sera containing antibodies to the LPS of a range of other VTEC serogroups also contained antibodies to 1 or more of the 5 secreted proteins, as did 16 of 70 (23%) sera from patients with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), haemorrhagic colitis (HC) or diarrhoea, but without bacteriological evidence of infection with VTEC and which did not contain antibodies to VTEC serogroups O5, O115, O145, O153 or O157. The detection of serum antibodies to secreted proteins may provide additional information for interpreting the results of established lipopolysaccharide-based VTEC serology.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1998

Evidence for carbimazole as an antioxidant?

There is evidence in the literature to support the view that antioxidants are involved in the pathogenesis of Graves disease and that antioxidants may act as free radical scavengers. This study has compared the effects of a 12 month course of conventional Carbimazole therapy on peripheral blood antioxidant levels with those of a 12 month course of a higher dose treatment regime. Fifty seven patients were enrolled into the study. Those in Group 1 (n = 23) received a 12 month course of 60 mg/day Carbimazole. Those in Group 2 (n = 34) received 45 mg/day for the first month, 30 mg/day for the second and 20 mg/day for the remaining 10 months of treatment. T3 was added in both groups after 2-4 months to maintain patients euthyroid. Baseline samples were also obtained from 30 control subjects. Blood samples were taken for the measurement of plasma thiol (PSH), lysate thiol (LSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and caeruloplasmin (CP) and for routine thyroid function tests (TT4, TT3 and TSH). In untreated Graves' patients, serum levels of PSH and SOD were reduced and levels of LSH increased compared to controls. Following 2 months high dose Carbimazole therapy there was a significant increase in PSH levels and a significant reduction in CP levels compared to presentation levels. In the more conventional dose Group 2 patients PSH levels also rose significantly during the first 2 months of treatment. Levels for both groups were still significantly lower than the control group. After 12 months high dose Carbimazole therapy PSH levels had decreased so that they no longer differed from untreated levels. LSH and SOD levels still remained abnormal. CP levels continued to fall. Similar findings were obtained in those patients receiving the more conventional course of treatment. At no point was their any significant difference in antioxidant levels between the two treatment groups. The abnormal levels of antioxidants in the serum of untreated Graves' patients confirm their involvement in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease. Carbimazole therapy appeared to have only short term effects on the peripheral blood levels of the antioxidants measured. Carbimazole appeared to act only on the extra cellular markers of antioxidant activity (PSH, CP) although the disease itself had marked intracellular effects (LSH, SOD). These findings suggest that Carbimazole does not act as a free radical scavenger.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

When staff training isn't enough: an evaluation of a collaborative approach.

This paper describes an evaluation of a training workshop for staff working with people who have severe physical and learning disabilities and who need extensive support with eating and drinking. Training involved joint input from speech and language therapy, dietetics, occupational therapy and physiotherapy and was evaluated at three levels: participants' satisfaction, gains in knowledge and video-tapes of mealtimes pre- and post-training to assess changes in practice. Results indicated very positive staff perceptions of the workshops and highly significant increases in knowledge, both immediately (p < 0.001) and after six months (p < 0.001). However there was no evidence of significant change in practice. Results are discussed in the context of bringing about changes in staff behaviour.

Caregivers↗