Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D R Gill

Publications and source records attributed to D R Gill.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The prefabrication of a bone graft in a rat model.

The prefabrication of bone grafts in a rat model was investigated. In 26 Sprague-Dawley rats, free iliac crest bone graft was harvested, bivalved, and reinserted heterotopically into the groin, where it was closed around the mobilized superficial inferior epigastric vascular bundle. In half the animals, the vascular bundle remained in continuity as a flow-through pedicle (group 1); in the remaining animals, the pedicle was ligated and divided distal to the bone graft. All grafts were isolated from other tissues by a silicone sheet envelope. At 3 or 6 weeks, the grafts were re-explored and analyzed by India ink perfusion and histologic examination for evidence of viability and neovascularization. Three weeks after insertion, India ink perfusion of the group 1 and 2 grafts revealed neovascularization extending to the periphery of the graft, and histologic examination showed extensive new bone formation on endosteal, periosteal, and trabecular surfaces of the graft. Six weeks after insertion, creeping substitution had almost completely remodelled the cortical and cancellous bone of both group 1 and 2 grafts to create a viable vascularized bone graft on a pedicle. In 3 control nonvascularized grafts (free iliac cortical bone without an implanted pedicle), all pre-existing bone of the graft was dead 3 weeks after insertion, and only very limited new bone formation was present within the graft.

Animals↗

The Coonrad-Morrey total elbow arthroplasty in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis. A ten to fifteen-year follow-up study.

Sixty-nine patients (seventy-eight elbows) who had rheumatoid arthritis were managed with a Coonrad-Morrey total elbow arthroplasty between 1981 and 1986. At the time of the present review, forty-one patients (forty-six elbows) were alive and had been followed for at least ten years after the procedure (Group 1). The remaining twenty-eight patients (thirty-two elbows) had died or had had a revision less than ten years after the procedure or had been followed for less than ten years (Group 2). The patients in Group 1 had a younger mean age at the time of the procedure, but all other preoperative parameters were similar for both groups. At the latest follow-up evaluation, 97 per cent of the elbows (forty-five of the forty-six in Group 1 and thirty-one of the thirty-two in Group 2) were not painful or were only mildly painful. The mean arc of flexion-extension was 28 to 131 degrees; this represents an increase of 13 degrees (15 degrees in Group 1 and 7 degrees in Group 2) compared with the preoperative value. The mean arc of pronation was 68 degrees, and the mean arc of supination was 62 degrees; this represents an increase of 21 degrees. The results for seventy-four of the seventy-eight elbows (all forty-six in Group 1 and twenty-eight of the thirty-two in Group 2) were considered satisfactory by the patients. One patient thought that the status of the elbow was unchanged compared with preoperatively, and three thought that it was worse. Seventy-six of the seventy-eight elbows had long-term radiographic evaluation; the two remaining elbows were excluded because a resection arthroplasty had been performed. There were two loose ulnar components; one was associated with an infection, and the other had been causing no symptoms at the time of the patient's death. In addition, both components were radiographically loose in an elbow that had had a revision without cement after a previous total elbow arthroplasty. Five bushings (7 per cent) were completely worn, and six (8 per cent) were partially worn. Complications occurred in eleven elbows (14 per cent) and were serious, necessitating reoperation, in ten (13 per cent). Delayed complications included three avulsions of the triceps, two deep infections, two ulnar fractures, and one fracture of an ulnar component. In addition, two elbows were revised because of aseptic loosening. No patient had persistent ulnar neuritis or serious skin complications. At the latest clinical follow-up evaluation, according to the Mayo elbow performance score, forty-three of the seventy-eight elbows had an excellent result; twenty-six, a good result; seven, a fair result; and two (both in Group 2), a poor result. The rate of survival of the prosthesis was 92.4 per cent, with 86 per cent good or excellent and 14 per cent fair or poor results.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Acidosis in cattle: a review.

Acute and chronic acidosis, conditions that follow ingestion of excessive amounts of readily fermented carbohydrate, are prominent production problems for ruminants fed diets rich in concentrate. Often occurring during adaptation to concentrate-rich diets in feedyards, chronic acidosis may continue during the feeding period. With acute acidosis, ruminal acidity and osmolality increase markedly as acids and glucose accumulate; these can damage the ruminal and intestinal wall, decrease blood pH, and cause dehydration that proves fatal. Laminitis, polioencephalomalacia, and liver abscesses often accompany acidosis. Even after animals recover from a bout of acidosis, nutrient absorption may be retarded. With chronic acidosis, feed intake typically is reduced but variable, and performance is depressed, probably due to hypertonicity of digesta. Acidosis control measures include feed additives that inhibit microbial strains that produce lactate, that stimulate activity of lactate-using bacteria or starch-engulfing ruminal protozoa, and that reduce meal size. Inoculation with microbial strains capable of preventing glucose or lactate accumulation or metabolizing lactate at a low pH should help prevent acidosis. Feeding higher amounts of dietary roughage, processing grains less thoroughly, and limiting the quantity of feed should reduce the incidence of acidosis, but these practices often depress performance and economic efficiency. Continued research concerning grain processing, dietary cation-anion balance, narrow-spectrum antibiotics, glucose or lactate utilizing microbes, and feeding management (limit or program feeding) should yield new methods for reducing the incidence of acute and chronic acidosis.

Acidosis↗

National Beef Quality Audit-1995: survey of producer-related defects and carcass quality and quantity attributes.

The National Beef Quality Audit-1995 was conducted to evaluate the progress of the beef industry since the time of the National Beef Quality Audit-1991 in improving quality and consistency of beef. Nine plants were assigned for auditing to Colorado State University, Oklahoma State University, and Texas A&M University. Personnel from each institution visited three of their nine plants twice, once in the spring/summer and once in the fall/winter. Data were collected on 50% of each lot on the slaughter floor and 10% in the cooler during a single day's production (one or two shifts, as appropriate). Of the cattle audited on the slaughter floor, 47.7% had no brands, 3.0% had a shoulder brand, 16.8% had a side brand, 38.7% had a butt brand, and 6.2% had brands in multiple locations. Data revealed that 51.6% of the carcasses had no bruises, 30.9% had one bruise, 12.8% had two bruises, 3.7% had three bruises, .9% had four bruises, and .1% had more than four bruises. In addition, 7.2% of the bruises evaluated were located on the round, 41.1% were on the loin, 20.8% on the rib, and 30.8% on the chuck. Livers, lungs, tripe, heads, tongues, and whole carcasses were condemned at rates of 22.2, 5.0, 11.0, .9, 3.8, and .1%, respectively. Mean USDA yield grade and quality grade traits were as follows: USDA yield grade, 2.8; carcass weight, 338.4 kg; adjusted fat thickness, 1.2 cm; longissimus muscle area, 81.9 cm2; kidney, pelvic, and heart fat, 2.1%; USDA quality grade, High Select; overall maturity, A60; and marbling score, Small-minus.

Animal Identification Systems↗

Chloride secretion in the trachea of null cystic fibrosis mice: the effects of transfection with pTrial10-CFTR2.

1. An improved novel plasmid backbone, pTrial10, has been developed. We have used this vector to deliver the cDNA for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) to cells, both in vitro and in vivo, complexed with cationic liposomes. 2. Human 293 kidney epithelial cells (HEK 293) showed expression of an immunoprecipitable 165 kDa protein corresponding to CFTR when transfected in vitro with pTrial10-CFTR2, but not when the vector pTrial10 was used. 3. HEK 293 cells transfected with pTrial10-CFTR2, but not pTrial10, demonstrated a cAMP-dependent anion conductance, measured by fluorescence microscopy using a halide-sensitive probe, SPQ. 4. The CFTR-dependent, cAMP-sensitive chloride secretory response in murine tracheal epithelium could be measured if the calcium-dependent chloride secretory process was first maximally stimulated with a mixture of the Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor, TBHQ, and the calcium ionophore, A23187. With these conditions wild-type and CF-null (transgenic animals in which the cystic fibrosis (CF) gene has been disrupted so that no CFTR is produced) murine tracheas could be distinguished. The difference between the current elicited by forskolin in wild-type and CF tracheas was highly significantly different (P < 0.001), giving a CFTR-dependent current of 11.2 microA cm-2. 5. Transfection of the airways with pTrial10-CFTR2, but not pTrial10, significantly (P < 0.01) increased the CFTR-dependent chloride secretory current in CF tracheas. The degree of correction was greater when intra-tracheal installation rather than nasal insufflation was used to deliver the plasmids.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗

A placebo-controlled study of liposome-mediated gene transfer to the nasal epithelium of patients with cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common, serious, inherited disease. The major cause of mortality in CF is lung disease, due to the failure of airway epithelial cells to express a functional product of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. A potential treatment for CF lung disease is the expression of CFTR in the airways following gene transfer. We have undertaken a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, clinical study of the transfer of the CFTR cDNA to the nasal epithelium of 12 CF patients. Cationic liposomes complexed with plasmid containing the human CFTR cDNA were administered to eight patients, whilst four patients received placebo. Biopsies of the nasal epithelium taken 7 days after dosing were normal. No significant changes in clinical parameters were observed. Functional expression of CFTR assessed by in vivo nasal potential difference measurements showed transient correction of the CF chloride transport abnormality in two patients (15 days after dosing in one patient). Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated CFTR function ex vivo. In cells from nasal brushings. In total, evidence of functional CFTR gene transfer was obtained in six out of the eight treated patients. These results provide proof of concept for liposome-mediated CF gene transfer.

Adolescent↗

A second dose of a CFTR cDNA-liposome complex is as effective as the first dose in restoring cAMP-dependent chloride secretion to null CF mice trachea.

Phase I clinical trials have provided encouraging data suggesting that gene transfer could provide a treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF). However, for all the current viral and nonviral vectors used to deliver the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, the duration of CFTR expression is limited, necessitating a repeat dosing regimen to provide a long-term treatment. This study was performed to determine whether a second delivery of a CFTR cDNA-liposome complex could result in a similar level of functional CFTR expression observed after a single delivery and to assess whether the deliveries produced adverse inflammatory responses. CFTR functional expression was assessed by short circuit current measurements of tracheas taken from CF null mice (Cftrtm1Cam) treated with a CFTR cDNA-liposome complex in the upper airways. Mice receiving two deliveries of this complex, the second after the response to the first had declined, showed cAMP-stimulated chloride currents which were not significantly different from normal tracheas or tissues assayed after a single dose of the complex. This double treatment was well tolerated with no discernible inflammation of lung tissue.

Animals↗

The effect of grain source and grain processing on performance of feedlot cattle: a review.

Effects of grain species and grain processing method on DMI, rate and efficiency of gain, and feeding value for cattle fed high concentrate diets were appraised by statistically compiling results from 605 comparisons from feeding trials published in North American journals and experiment station bulletins since 1974. Metabolizable energy (ME) values for each grain and processing method were calculated by quadratic procedures from DMI and animal performance. Averaged across processing methods, ME values for corn, milo, and wheat grain (3.40, 3.22, and 3.46 Mcal/kg DM) fell within 9% of ME estimates from NRC (1996) for beef cattle. In contrast, ME values for barley and oats grain (3.55 and 3.46 Mcal/kg DM) were 24% and 17% greater than NRC (1996) estimates. Compared with the dry rolled forms, high moisture corn and milo resulted in lower ADG and DMI. Compared with dry rolling, either steam rolling or flaking of corn, milo, and wheat decreased DMI without decreasing ADG and improved feed efficiency by 10, 15, and 10%, respectively. Compared with dry rolled grain, steam flaking increased (P < .05) body weight-adjusted ME of corn and milo grain by 15 and 21%, respectively; body weight-adjusted ME for whole corn was 9% greater (P < .05) than for rolled corn grain. Steam flaking was surprisingly effective (13%) at increasing (P < .05) the body weight-adjusted ME of wheat, but steam flaking failed to increase the ME of barley and oats. Higher moisture content of high-moisture corn decreased dry matter intake without depressing ADG and improved efficiency and increased ME of the grain. Compared with steam flakes of moderate thinness, processing milo or barley to a very thin flake tended to reduce ADG and failed to improve feed efficiency. The ideal roughage source and roughage moisture content for maximum ME and ADG varied with grain processing method. Feeding corn silage rather than alfalfa and wet rather than dry roughage depressed (P < .01) ADG of cattle and reduced (P < .01) body weight-adjusted ME of cattle fed high-moisture corn grain but tended to increase both with steam-flaked corn or wheat.

Animals↗

Anabolic implant effects on steer performance, carcass traits, subprimal yields, and longissimus muscle properties.

Crossbred steers (n = 140; 353 kg) were implanted as follows: (C) control, no implant; (S) Synovex-S (20 mg estradiol benzoate + 200 mg progesterone); (R) Revalor (20 mg estradiol + 140 mg trenbolone acetate [TBA]; international dosage); (ST) S + finaplix-S (140 mg TBA); (STT) S + finaplix-S with finaplix-S reimplanted on d 58. Steers were harvested after 119 to 126 d on feed. Left sides of 40 carcasses were fabricated into boneless subprimals for two s.c. fat levels: 2.5 and .64 cm. Steers administered an estrogen (estradiol benzoate or estradiol) plus TBA gained more rapidly (P < .05) than C or S steers. Feed efficiency was improved (P < .05) with an estrogen plus TBA. No differences (P > .05) were noted among treatments for carcass s.c. fat thickness, percentage internal fat, or lean color. Carcasses from steers receiving TBA had larger (P < .05) longissimus areas and tended to have lower (P < .10) marbling scores and yield grades than C or S steers. Steers implanted with R had a lower (P < .05) percentage of U. S. Choice carcasses (51.8%) than C, S, and ST steers (82 to 86%). Shear force values for implanted steers tended to be higher (P < .10) than for controls. Implants increased (P < .05) subprimal and total side lean yields (.64 cm) compared to controls; the largest increases of 2.3 and 2.8%, respectively, occurred in steers receiving TBA plus an estrogen. Estrogen plus TBA exhibited favorable effects on gain, efficiency, and composition; however, the single estradiol plus TBA implant (R) decreased quality grade.

Anabolic Agents↗

Avulsion of the ischial apophysis.

Avulsion of the ischial apophysis is a rare injury. We report the successful treatment of an avulsion of the ischial apophysis by open reduction and internal fixation.

Child↗

Effects of B vitamin injection on bovine herpesvirus-1 infection and immunity in feed-restricted beef calves.

Because feed and water deprivation during marketing and transport of feedlot calves may reduce ruminal B vitamin synthesis at a time when calves are most susceptible to infectious agents, we studied the effect of B vitamin injections on infection and immunity in 12 6-mo-old beef steer calves (153 +/- 8 kg) that were weaned, limit-fed, and deprived of feed. Six calves were injected with B vitamins and ascorbic acid every 48 h for 28 d starting 2 wk before virus inoculation. All calves were infected with an attenuated strain of bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) on d 0. From time of arrival (d -20) until the end of a 3-d period without food (d -6), calves lost 13.1% of their initial weight. However, they regained weight after re-feeding so that net weight loss was 7.7% for the 20-d period prior to infection. The stress/BHV-1 model resulted in a mild respiratory infection in all calves with no difference observed between treatment groups. Vitamin injections did not significantly affect virus and interferon titers in nasal secretions, or lymphocyte blastogenesis. However, the B vitamin treatment tended to increase serum IgG titers to BHV-1 on both d 14 (1,120 vs 550, P = .115) and d 28 (2,400 vs 1,830, P = .37) after infection. Averaged across d 14 and d 28, IgG titers tended to be higher (P < .09) for the calves receiving B vitamin injections, indicating that the humoral immune response was enhanced by B vitamin treatment. B vitamin status in stressed calves at the time of vaccination or disease challenge may affect the success of the immune response.

Animals↗

Southland Hospital's experience with the Austin Moore hemiarthroplasty.

AIM: The assessment of hospital performance with reference to patients who receive Austin Moore hemiarthroplasty for neck of femur fractures and the assessment of patients at medium term follow up. METHODS: A retrospective review of 103 Austin Moore hemiarthroplasties in 101 patients. This review spans an 11 year period at this institution. A clinical follow up of survivors including pain, x-ray and Harris hip score to evaluate their current position. RESULTS: Mean hospital stay remained unchanged at 39.13 days. Also unchanged were the percentage of patients returning home at 44.6%. The time to surgery improved significantly over the review period being on average 2.8 days. Medium term follow up of surviving patients (16 patients) showed 14 patients with poor Harris hip scores. Radiographic analysis did not explain the clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Whilst at this institution, total time to surgery improved total hospital stay and percentage discharged home remained unchanged. Medium term surviving Austin Moore patients should be followed as their hip function may deteriorate excessively with time. The predicted increase in patient load will further pressure the current resources making substantial improvements more difficult.

Aged↗

Protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation of the human multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein regulates cell volume-activated chloride channels.

The multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which transports hydrophobic drugs out of cells, is also associated with volume-activated chloride currents. It is not yet clear whether P-gp is a channel itself, or whether it is a channel regulator. Activation of chloride currents by hypotonicity in cells expressing P-gp was shown to be regulated by protein kinase C (PKC). HeLa cells exhibited volume-activated chloride currents indistinguishable from those obtained in P-gp-expressing cells except that they were insensitive to PKC. HeLa cells did not express detectable P-gp but, following transient transfection with cDNA encoding P-gp, the volume-activated channels acquired PKC regulation. PKC regulation was abolished when serine/threonine residues in the consensus phosphorylation sites of the linker region of P-gp were replaced with alanine. Replacement of these residues with glutamate, in order to mimic the charge of the phosphorylated protein, also mimicked the effects of PKC on channel activation. These data demonstrate that PKC-mediated phosphorylation of P-gp regulates the activity of an endogenous chloride channel and thus indicate that P-gp is a channel regulator.

3T3 Cells↗

Review of some aspects of growth and development of feedlot cattle.

Growth in animals is defined as accretion of protein, fat and bone. Although growth typically is measured as the change in live weight, nutrient retention is estimated more precisely by measuring empty body weight and composition, whereas production economics are measured ideally through carcass weights and quality. As a percentage of live weight gain, carcass weight gain usually is a much higher percentage during the feedlot phase than during the growing phase of production because dressing percentage (ratio of carcass:live weight) increases with maturation and is greater with concentrate than with roughage diets. At a given fraction of mature body size (maximum body protein mass), body fat percentage seems to be a constant. Mature size may be altered genetically and nutritionally. Protein accretion declines to zero when cattle reach their mature body size (approximately 36% fat in empty body weight in modern cattle) even though mature animals can continue to accrete fat. Although fat accretion can be reduced by limiting the supply of net energy, rate of fat accretion by finishing steers given ad libitum access to high-concentrate diets seems to reach a plateau at approximately 550 g daily. Protein mass, in contrast, increases in proportion to empty body weight. The protein:fat ratio of the carcass can be increased through increasing mature size, by administering hormones or hormonal modifiers, by limiting energy intake during the growing period or finishing period, or by slaughtering cattle at an earlier stage of maturity. Energetically, efficiency of accretion of fat is approximately 1.7 times that of protein. But because more water is stored with deposited protein than with deposited fat, lean tissue gain is four times as efficient as accretion of fat tissue. Conversion of protein to fat is very inefficient, suggesting that excess protein is utilized inefficiently.

Animals↗

Effect of time on feed on performance of feedlot steers, carcass characteristics, and tenderness and composition of longissimus muscles.

Two hundred fifty-six British and Continental crossbred yearling steers (329 kg initially) were fed to study the effect of time on feed on live performance, carcass characteristics, tissue composition, and steak tenderness. Steers were divided into four slaughter groups and fed for either 105, 119, 133, or 147 d. Daily gains (carcass weight-adjusted basis) increased in a quadratic manner (P < .05; maximum at 119 d), whereas feed intake tended to increase linearly (P < .08) as cattle were fed longer. Feed conversion (carcass weight-adjusted basis) for steers fed 119 d was superior to that of steers fed for 147 d. Carcass weight, s.c. fat thickness, kidney, pelvic, and heart fat, overall carcass maturity, and yield grade increased linearly (P < .01) with time on feed. Marbling score and the percentage of cattle grading U.S. Choice increased (linearly; P < .01) with time on feed but at a decreasing rate (quadratic; P < .05). Cholesterol and total lipid concentrations in longissimus muscle increased linearly (P < .01) as time on feed increased, whereas the percentage of protein and moisture tended to decrease linearly (P < .10 and P < .01). Tenderness of ribeye steaks tended to increase linearly (P < .07) with time on feed, primarily due to a linear decrease (P < .03) in the percentage of steaks considered tough (shear force above 4.50 kg). Performance and carcass characteristics indicate that a feedlot finishing period of 119 to 133 d is ideal for British Continental crossbred yearling steers (329 kg).

Animals↗

Effects of dietary virginiamycin on performance and liver abscess incidence in feedlot cattle.

The effects of dietary virginiamycin level on performance and liver abscesses in feedlot cattle were evaluated in seven dose-response studies. Steers and heifers were fed finishing diets ranging in energy content from 1.34 to 1.51 Mcal of NEg/kg of DM. In all studies, virginiamycin added to the diet improved average daily gain and(or) feed conversion, with no substantial effect on dry matter intake. Pooled analyses of four studies providing virginiamycin at 11.0, 19.3, and 27.6 mg/kg of DM in the complete diet indicated that growth and feed conversion were linearly improved (P < .05); feeding 19.3 mg/kg improved these measurements by 3.0 and 3.8%, respectively. Overall incidence (score 0 vs score 1, 2, and 3) and severity (score 0, 1, and 2 vs score 3) of liver abscesses were reduced (P < .01) by feeding virginiamycin at either 19.3 or 27.6 mg/kg. Linear plateau modeling indicated that the effective dose range for virginiamycin in feedlot diets (DM basis) was 19.3 to 27.3 mg/kg for increasing average daily gain, 13.2 to 19.3 mg/kg for improving feed conversion, and 16.5 to 19.3 mg/kg for reducing liver abscess incidence.

Animals↗

Plaster of Paris splintage for the hand: volar or dorsal?

The effectiveness of a volar or a dorsal plaster of Paris slab for splinting a hand in the 'safe' position was studied prospectively. Seventy-two splints, comprising 36 dorsal and 36 volar, were applied. Measurements of the metarcarpophalangeal joint angle and the proximal interphalangeal joint angle on the lateral radiograph revealed the volar splint to be significantly more consistent in securing the proximal interphalangeal joint angle at less than 15 degrees. There was no significant difference between volar or dorsal splints for the metarcarpophalangeal joint angle. As the volar splint was also subjectively more comfortable, its use is recommended.

Calcium Sulfate↗