Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J F Williams

Publications and source records attributed to J F Williams.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Evaluation of a polycarbonate filter for the detection of microfilaremia in dogs in central Michigan.

Several diagnostic techniques were used in determining the prevalence of microfilaremia in 479 dogs entering the holding facility for research animals at Michigan State University. The modified Knott test and cellulose filter procedures were initially applied, but persistent difficulties with the cellulose filter system prompted evaluation of the use of clear polycarbonate filters. This procedure was found to be equally as sensitive as the modified Knott test and more sensitive than the microhematocrit tube method. Microfilariae trapped on polycarbonate filters were easy to detect, and there were no problems with clogging of the filter pores. Losses of up to 3.5% of the microfilariae occurred with 8-micron pore size filters, but no more than 1% passed through 5-micron pore size filters. Identification of microfilariae was based on size and shape of the parasites. In questionable cases, the diagnosis was confirmed by means of the histochemical test for acid phosphatase distribution. Satisfactory results were obtained when the latter test was applied to microfilariae of Dirofilaria immitis trapped and fixed on filters. Twenty blood samples in the surgery (4.2%) contained microfilariae, all of which were classified as D imitis.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

A test for foetal gene expression at the level of transcription in hepatoms.

The presence of a variety of embryonic and foetal gene products in neoplasms is well documented. Two such products, i.e. carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha foetoprotein, are currently being used for clinical diagnosis and the assessment of prognosis. The purpose of this study has been to examine the possibility of the reactivation of a foetal gene associated with foetal liver in the Morris 5123C hepatoma and host liver after prolonged tumour bearing. The foetal gene for globin was chosen for study as production of foetal globin in cancer patients has been observed and the technique for quantiation of globin messenger RNA is available. The quantitation of globin mRNA permits the identification of a gene product which is not related to the tissue of origin of the tumor being studied and which is influenced by pre-translational control mechanisms only. The influence of tumour bearing on foetal globin gene expression by the host liver is also reported. We report molecular hybridization studies of total nucleic acid extracts from foetal, 2-day neonatal, adult and host liver and the Morris 5123C transplantable hepatoma with a complementary DNA copy of globin messenger RNA. The results indicate that there is no activation of the foetal globin gene in these tissues in spite of erythrocytosis in the host animal.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Experimental infection with Plasmodium chabaudi in rats: antigen and antibody associated with anemia and glomerulonephritis of acute infection.

Rat-adapted Plasmodium chabaudi caused a syndrome characterized by hemolytic anemia, splenomegaly, and glomerulonephritis. All rats recovered and appeared normal after 4 weeks despite persistence of proteinuria. Serologic studies on the malarious rats revealed that the infection was associated with a soluble antigen which was present concurrently with antibody in plasma, in material eluted from blood cells, in extracts of kidney tissues, and in the urine. This antigen appeared to be identical with one extracted from P. chabaudi parasites and did not cross-react with antigens of Plasmodium gallinaceum. Tests for the cold-active hemagglutin (CAH) and the globulin associated serum antigen (SA) previously associated with acute malaria, revealed that CAH, but not SA, was present. From these observations it is suggested that soluble complexes of the parasite antigen and its antibody may have been causal in this syndrome.

Anemia↗
PubMed1977

Permeability studies on taenid metacestodes: I. Uptake of proteins by larval stages of Taenia taeniaeformis, T. crassiceps, and Echinococcus granulosus.

Host immunoglobulins of several different classes were detected within the bladder fluids of Taenia taeniaeformis, T. crassiceps, and Echinococcus granulosus. Radioiodinated proteins were taken up in vitro by larvae of both T. taeniaeformis and T. crassiceps and were shown to retain their physicochemical and antigenic characteristics. Rates of uptake were similar in the 2 species and were not related to the molecular weight of the proteins. Immunoglobulins were taken up both in vitro and in vivo by larvae of T. taeniaeformis. Absorbed immunoglobulins were shown to retain both antigen binding capacity and biologic functions associated with the Fc portion of the molecules. Not all cysts of E. granulosus contained detectable host proteins. Uptake of 125I occurred when hydatid cysts were exposed to labeled proteins in vitro, but it appeared that rapid degradation of the labeled carrier led to the appearance of dialysable fragments. This may be attributable to proteolysis within the bladder fluid. We conclude that taeniid metacestodes are capable of absorbing a variety of proteins, and that these macromolecules can retain their structural and functional integrity following transport. This absorptive capacity accounts for the presence of host serum components within bladder fluids.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Uptake of colostral immunoglobulins by the suckling rat.

The sequential appearance of immunoglobulins was studied in serum samples from rats during the suckling period. At birth both IgG1 and IgG2 were present, but IgM was not detected until the 7th day and IgA until the 17th day. No intestinal transmission of intact homologous IgA was demonstrable after oral administration of radiolabelled preparations (125I) of either serum or colostral IgA to suckling rats. When 125I labelled IgG 2a+b rat immunoglobulins were given orally there was a selective transport of the slower moving subclass from the gut into the serum. The rat appeared to differ from several other species in which some intestinal absorption of passively transferred IgA by the newborn has been demonstrated. It was suggested that retention of colostral and milk IgA in the intestine may serve to enhance local defense mechanisms in the newborn rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Permeability studies on taeniid metacestodes: II. Antibody-mediated effects on membrane permeability in larvae of Taenia taeniaeformis and Taenia crassiceps.

Incubation in immune rat serum (IRS) was shown to increase the rate of absorption of 125I RNase-A but not 125I BSA by larvae of Taenia taeniaeformis and T. crassiceps. This effect required a heat labile factor in serum, and partial activity could be restored in heat-treated IRS by adding normal rat serum (NRS) as a source of complement. In addition, the effectiveness of IRS in altering permeability was shown to be dependent on the concentration of functional complement. Both live and dead larvae incubated in NRS rapidly depleted hemolytic complement levels in the surrounding medium. Immunoglobulin fractions from IRS separated by anion exchange chromatography and and gel filtration were tested in the presence of excess complement for their ability to affect uptake of 125I RNase-A. Enhanced permeability was observed in larvae incubated in each fraction. The results show that antibodies in conjunction with complement are capable of disrupting larval permeability control in vitro. The observation that larvae were able to restore normal control as complement levels declined suggests that the parasites may overcome this immunologic effector mechanism by interfering with complement function.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Activation of complement by hydatid cyst fluid of Echinococcus granulosus.

Factors present in hydatid cyst fluid of Echinococcus granulosus were found to interact with complement from several species. This nonimmunologic fixation resulted in the depletion of hemolytically active complement from fresh guinea pig serum, the conversion of human C3 to an electrophoretically faster species and the genration of smooth muscle contracting substances, analogous to anaphylatoxins, in normal rat serum in vitro. Vascular permeability changes were produced in vivo in rats and humans after intradermal inoculation of complement interacting fractions of hydatid fluid. It is suggested that these factors may contribute to the pathogenesis of the shock syndrome which follows intravenous administration of hydatid fluid in normal animals, and to the nonspecificity of immunodiagnostic skin tests for hydatid infection in man and animals.

Anaphylatoxins↗
PubMed1976

The effect of an unsaturated-fat diet on cataract formation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

1. Cataract formation in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats was reduced by approximately 85% when a diet rich in maize oil (300 g/kg diet) (fat diet) was given, thus confirming results of earlier studies. However, the concentration of sorbitol in the lens of diabetic animals remained high, the values for diabetic rats given the standard diet and the fat died being 65 and 40 mumol/g protein respectively. 2. With the standard diet, the fatty acid profile of the triglycerides of the epididymal fat pads was characterized by a greater relative proportion of saturated fatty acids for the diabetic animals compared to that for the normal animals. The fat diet moderated the tendency towards saturation in the diabetic animals. 3. The fat diet had other effects on the diabetic animals; these included a reduced mortality rate, increased body-weight, a decrease in the daily water intake, and in the daily urinary excretion of glucose and urea. 4. In the diabetic animals the fat diet had no effect on the specific activities in the liver of hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1), glucokinase (EC 2.7.1.2), phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11) and pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40). However, the specific activity of glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) was reduced, while that of malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) (NADP) (EC 1.1.1.40) was increased. The NAD+:NADH ratio, as calculated from liver pyruvate and lactate concentrations, tended to increase. 5. The results suggested that the fat diet moderated the long-term metabolic effects of diabetes.

Animals↗