Complete situs inversus in a two-year-old standardbred horse.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
L Eriksen
Publications and source records attributed to L Eriksen.
Comparative studies of experimental oral inoculation of pigs with Ascaris suum eggs or third stage larvae.
This experimental study was designed to compare the acquired resistance in pigs to Ascaris suum eggs following 4-weekly oral immunizations with either 200 A. suum infective eggs or 50 A. suum third stage larvae (L3). The two immunized groups (n = 7) together with an unimmunized control group (n = 7) of pigs were challenged orally with 50 infective A. suum eggs per kilogram bodyweight on day 19 after the last immunization. Seven days post-challenge the group immunized with eggs showed signs of resistance as evidenced by reduced lung larval counts compared with the challenge control group. Such significant resistance was not observed in the L3-immunized group. However, a markedly increased inflammatory liver reaction and white spot formation was demonstrated in the L3-immunized pigs after challenge compared with both control animals and egg-immunized pigs. On the day of challenge only the egg-immunized pigs mounted an anti-Ascaris antibody response both in serum and in lung lavage fluid. Ascaris-antigen induced increased histamine release from peripheral leucocytes following both immunization and challenge could only be demonstrated in the egg-immunized pigs. On day 7 post-challenge local IgA-anti-Ascaris antibodies were further demonstrated in bile of the egg-immunized group and in the small intestine of both immunized groups. In conclusion, oral A. suum egg immunization of pigs induced a significant reduction in lung larval counts upon challenge. In contrast, oral L3 immunization seemed to prime the pigs as observed by the presence of stunted lung larval growth and increased liver reaction post-challenge with A. suum eggs.
Animals↗
Yr32 for resistance to stripe (yellow) rust present in the wheat cultivar Carstens V.
Stripe or yellow rust of wheat, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is an important disease in many wheat-growing regions of the world. A number of major genes providing resistance to stripe rust have been used in breeding, including one gene that is present in the differential tester Carstens V. The objective of this study was to locate and map a stripe rust resistance gene transferred from Carstens V to Avocet S and to use molecular tools to locate a number of genes segregating in the cross Savannah/Senat. One of the genes present in Senat was predicted to be a gene that is present in Carstens V. For this latter purpose, stripe rust response data from both seedling and field tests on a doubled haploid population consisting of 77 lines were compared to an available molecular map for the same lines using a non-parametric quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. Results obtained in Denmark suggested that a strong component of resistance with the specificity of Carstens V was located in chromosome arm 2AL, and this was consistent with chromosome location work undertaken in Australia. Since this gene segregated independently of Yr1, the only other stripe rust resistance gene known to be located in this chromosome arm, it was designated Yr32. Further QTLs originating from Senat were located in chromosomes 1BL, 4D, and 7DS and from Savannah on 5B, but it was not possible to characterize them as unique resistance genes in any definitive way. Yr32 was detected in several wheats, including the North American differential tester Tres.
Australia↗
Inheritance and localisation of resistance to Mycosphaerella graminicola causing septoria tritici blotch and plant height in the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genome with DNA markers.
Resistance to the disease septoria tritici blotch of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella graminicola (Fuckel.) J. Schrot in Cohn (anamorph Septoria tritici Roberge in Desmaz.) was investigated in a doubled-haploid (DH) population of a cross between the susceptible winter wheat cultivar Savannah and the resistant cultivar Senat. A molecular linkage map of the population was constructed including 76 SSR loci and 244 AFLP loci. Parents and DH progeny were tested for resistance to single isolates of M. graminicola in a growth chamber at the seedling stage, and to an isolate mixture at the adult plant stage, in field trials. A gene located at or near the Stb6 locus mapping to chromosome 3A provided seedling resistance to IPO323. Two complementary genes, mapping to chromosome 3A, one of which was the IPO323 resistance gene, were needed for resistance to the Danish isolate Risø97-86. In addition, a number of minor loci influenced the expression of resistance in the growth chamber. In the field, four QTLs for resistance to septoria tritici blotch were detected. Two QTLs, located on chromosomes 3A and 6B explained 18.2 and 67.9% of the phenotypic variance in the mean over two trials. Both these QTLs were also detected at the seedling stage with isolate Risø97-86, whereas isolate IPO323 only detected the QTL on 3A. Additionally, two QTLs identified in adult plants on chromosomes 2B and 7B were not detected at the seedling stage. Four QTLs were detected for plant height located on chromosomes 2B, 3A, 3B and on a linkage group not assigned to a chromosome. The major QTLs on 3A and on the unassigned linkage group were consistent over two trials, and the QTL on 3A seemed to be linked to a QTL for septoria tritici blotch resistance.
Analysis of Variance↗
Alternative migration routes of Ascaris suum in the pig.
Experiments were conducted to investigate possible alternative routes of extraintestinal migration of Ascaris suum larvae in the pig. Pigs were infected with A. suum via injection of newly hatched larvae into cecal veins (i.v.), into cecal lymph nodes (LN), or intraperitoneally (i.p.), and control animals were inoculated orally with infective eggs (p.o.). Two pigs per inoculation route were necropsied on days 1, 4, and 13 postinoculation. The numbers of liver lesions and the percentage of larvae recovered was considerably greater in pigs inoculated i.v. or p.o. on each necropsy day. However, irrespective of inoculation route, at least a proportion of larvae passed through the livers and were able to complete migration to the small intestine by day 13. The results indicate that larval penetration of the intestinal wall is not necessary for liver-lung migration and that passage through the liver may be favorable for migrating A. suum larvae, although a delayed arrival in the small intestine cannot be ruled out for larvae following alternative routes.
Animals↗
Interval cancers in the Norwegian breast cancer screening program: frequency, characteristics and use of HRT.
Breast cancers diagnosed between screening examinations among women who attend a breast cancer screening program are defined as interval cancers. The Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program started as a pilot project in 1996, and data from the first 2-year interval are available. Our study quantifies interval cancers in the pilot project and explores characteristics and factors that may be associated with interval cancer. Interval cancers in the screening population were identified through the Cancer Registry of Norway. The frequency of invasive interval cancer was calculated as cases per 10,000 screened and as observed/expected ratio. Characteristics of the interval cancers were compared to screening-detected and clinical cancers. Breast density was assessed in a blinded review of 3 categories of screening mammograms. Information on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use was collected from a questionnaire. The frequency of invasive interval cancers was 18.2 (15.9-20.7) per 10,000 screened and the observed/expected ratio was 0.49 (0.43-0.56). The frequency in the second year of the interval was higher than reported from other programs. The median tumor size of the interval cancers was 19.5 mm and 44.0% of the patients had affected axillary lymph nodes. The interval cancer cases had higher proportions of dense breasts and reported use of HRT compared to screen normal and screening-detected cases. The reported frequency of interval cancers is similar to comparable programs. The interval cancers differed significantly from the cancers detected in the first screening round and were more similar to clinical cancers. Interval cancer was associated with dense breasts and use of HRT. Screening programs must keep these associations in focus.
Aged↗
Regional immune responses with stage-specific antigen recognition profiles develop in lymph nodes of pigs following Ascaris suum larval migration.
The early life-cycle of the pig round worm, Ascaris suum, involves well-defined larval development in the liver, lungs and finally the small intestine. Distinct regional immune responses to larval antigens of A. suum were observed in the draining lymph nodes of immunized and challenged pigs during larval migration. This was reflected in a transient enlargement of the stimulated lymph nodes, due to increases in numbers of B cells and CD4 T cells, and the production of A. suum-specific antibody by antibody secreting cell (ASC) cultures. Larval antigen recognition pattern of antibodies in serum, bile and draining lymph node ASC culture supernatant (ASC-probes) was examined by immunoblotting. This revealed distinct organ-specific recognition patterns of larval-specific antigens by the draining lymph nodes at different times after challenge. In particular, an early larval 42 kDa antigen was recognized specifically by ASC-probes of the liver lymph nodes at 7 but not 14 days postchallenge (pc) which was not detected in other lymph nodes, serum or bile of the same pig. Similarly, a late larval antigen of 34 kDa was uniquely detected by lung and jejunal ASC-probes at 14 days pc. These observations demonstrate how development of distinct regional immune responses in tissues with different antigen stimulation can be monitored with ASC-probes and flow cytometry.
Animals↗
Prevalence and risk factors of adenomyosis at hysterectomy.
BACKGROUND: The present study was performed to evaluate the prevalence and possible associated risk factors for adenomyosis. METHODS: Medical records were retrieved and histo-pathological material re-examined for 549 consecutive women undergoing hysterectomy in a two-year period from 1990-1991. RESULTS: The prevalence of adenomyosis in the study varied from 10.0-18.2%, depending on different diagnostic criteria. The presence of endometrial hyperplasia at the time of hysterectomy was the only variable significantly associated with adenomyosis (OR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.2-8.3). No statistically significant association was found between adenomyosis and previous caesarean section, endometrial curettage or evacuation of the uterus. Furthermore, we did not see any significant association between adenomyosis and pain-related symptoms, indication for hysterectomy, age, parity or number of myometrial samples. CONCLUSIONS: Our study stresses the need for precise diagnostic criteria for adenomyosis, and furthermore indicates that endometrial hyperplasia and adenomyosis may have a common aetiology.
Adult↗
[Mammography screening in Rogaland--the first round].
BACKGROUND: Screening with mammography is a proven method of detecting breast cancer at an early stage. In 1994, the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Social Services decided to initiate a trial with mammography screening in four counties before deciding whether to launch a national breast screening programme. Four counties were selected: Akershus, Oslo, Hordaland and Rogaland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A detailed plan along with important determinants to evaluate the quality of the trial were agreed upon. The main-purpose was to find practical and administrative screening approaches which would result in a 30% reduction in mortality. Rogaland was the first county to start, in November 1995. The first screening round was completed in December 1997. We present the results from Rogaland and compare our results with the preset targets, and also with the results from the other three counties. A total number of 31,069 women aged 50-69 years were invited to participate. RESULTS: The attendance rate was 88.6%. A total of 6.7% were referred for additional examinations; 4.9% were reexamined due to mammographic findings, the remaining 1.8% for technical or clinical reasons. The detection rate in our study was 8.4 cancers per 1,000 screened women. Of these, 6.1 were invasive cancer and 2.3 in situ cancer. 70.0% of the tumours were < or = 15 mm in diameter. In 82.1% there was no histologic evidence of axillary metastases. INTEPRETATION: We conclude that our diagnostic results from the first round of mammographic screening meet the quality target and are noticeably higher than those obtained by the other three counties. Based upon these results, we conclude that a reduction in mortality of 30% should be attainable.
Aged↗
Effects of bile on the in vitro hatching, exsheathment, and migration of Ascaris suum larvae.
This study reports on the in vitro egg hatching, exsheathment, migratory activity, and sensitivity to anthelmintics of Ascaris suum larvae in cultures with or without bovine bile. Three methods for egg hatching and/or incubation were used: an object-glass method, a glass-bead method, and an incubation method. An agar migration assay (AMA) was developed to test the migratory activity of Ascaris larvae following hatching. Bile appeared to be an important stimulatory factor for both egg hatching and larval mobility in the incubation method. Incubation in low concentrations of bile (2%, 5%, or 10%) stimulated both egg hatching and larval migration, whereas concentrations of at least 20% impaired egg hatching and larval migration. Furthermore, 5% bile seemed to promote exsheathment of A. suum larvae.
Animals↗
Ionotropic excitatory amino acid receptor ligands. Synthesis and pharmacology of a new amino acid AMPA antagonist.
We have previously described the potent and selective (RS)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (AMPA) receptor agonist, (RS)-2-amino-3-(3-carboxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (ACPA), and the AMPA receptor antagonist (RS)-2-amino-3-[3-(carboxymethoxy)-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl]propionic acid (AMOA). Using these AMPA receptor ligands as leads, a series of compounds have been developed as tools for further elucidation of the structural requirements for activation and blockade of AMPA receptors. The synthesized compounds have been tested for activity at ionotropic excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors using receptor binding and electrophysiological techniques, and for activity at metabotropic EAA receptors using second messenger assays. Compounds 1 and 4 were essentially inactive. (RS)-2-Amino-3-[3-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl]propionic acid (ACMP, 2), on the other hand, was shown to be a selective AMPA receptor antagonist (IC(50) = 73 microM), more potent in electrophysiological experiments than AMOA (IC(50) = 320 microM). The isomeric analogue of 2, compound 5, did not show AMPA antagonist effects, but was a weak NMDA receptor antagonist (IC(50) = 540 microM). Finally, compound 3, which is an isomer of ACPA, turned out to be a very weak NMDA antagonist, and an AMPA receptor agonist approximately 1000 times weaker than ACPA. None of the compounds showed agonist or antagonist effects at metabotropic EAA receptors.
Animals↗
Differentiation of cuticular structures during the growth of the third-stage larva of Ascaris suum (Nematoda, Ascaridoidea) after emerging from the egg.
In order to monitor the early phases of the development of Ascaris suum from domestic pigs, third-stage larvae, retrieved from the liver and the lungs, were studied by analyzing worm growth and length increase of individual transverse annuli in the cuticle. Material for study using light and scanning electron microscopy was obtained from experimental infections. The results show that the third-stage larva (not the second-stage) after emergence from the egg grows continuously, without an ecdysis in the liver. During growth, each annulus is split into a complex of 2 subannuli, each of which attains a bimodal appearance and is a prominent feature during a late phase of the third-stage larva. The results suggest that the first 2 molts occur inside the egg, a synapomorphic feature of the Ascaridoidea. The third-stage larvae of ascaridoids, with some functional similarities of the dauer-larva stage of Caenorhabditis sp., facilitate transmission of these parasitic worms to the digestive tract of the vertebrate final host (utilizing the tracheal route in A. suum), where the third and the fourth molts take place.
Animals↗
Prevalence and distribution of pig helminths in the Dongting Lake Region (Hunan Province) of the People's Republic of China.
The prevalence of helminths in pigs was investigated in five rural communities situated on the embankment of Dongting Lake in Zhiyang County, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China, in an area known to be endemic for Schistosoma japonicum. The helminth prevalences identified on the basis of faecal egg count analysis were: Oesophagostomum spp. (86.7%), Ascaris suum (36.7%), Metastrongylus spp. (25.8%), Strongyloides spp. (25.8%), Trichuris suis (15.8%), Globocephalus spp. (6.7%), Gnathostoma spp. (4.2%), Schistosoma japonicum (5.0%) and Fasciola spp. (1.3%). Post mortem examinations of a small number of pigs depositing eggs of different helminth species revealed the presence of Oesophagostomum dentatum, O. quadrispinulatum, A. suum, Metastrongylus apri, M. pudendotectus, T. suis, G. hispidum and Ascarops dentata. Prevalences of all helminths, with the exception of Oesophagostomum spp., were higher in young pigs (< 8 months old) compared with adult pigs. Prevalences of trematodes were very low, especially for S. japonicum which had decreased dramatically compared with previous reports from this area of P.R. China, whereas prevalences of nematodes were generally in agreement with those reported from other Yangtze River Provinces. Results from helminth prevalence studies in pigs, conducted in other provinces of P.R. China between 1987 and 1997, are presented and discussed. It was concluded that a government helminth control programme, implemented in 1995 to control S. japonicum infection in pigs in Hunan Province, may have resulted in a greatly reduced prevalence of S. japonicum in pigs in this region.
Animals↗
[Venous thrombectomy in pregnancy. A follow-up study].
Deep venous thrombosis is an uncommon but feared complication in pregnancy. The treatment of choice in most centers is heparin and compression stockings, which effectively prevents pulmonary embolism, but the incidence of chronic venous insufficiency with skin change and ulcers after such treatment is reported to be up to 65%. In the period 1985-93, thirty-nine pregnant women were treated for femoroiliacal venous thrombosis (FIVT) with operative thrombectomy, arteriovenous fistula and anticoagulant therapy. The aim of this study was to examine those of the women who subsequently had been pregnant again. The pregnancy and delivery were closely monitored and the frequency of clinically detected as well as objectively measured venous insufficiency was recorded. Nineteen of the women subsequently became pregnant again, resulting in 25 deliveries. They were investigated at the Coagulation Laboratory and treated with phenendione or low molecularweight heparin. All pregnancies proceeded successfully. None showed clinical signs of rethrombosis during the subsequent pregnancy. At follow up 11 patients had dilated or varicose veins, nine had a closed iliaca at ultrasound examination, none had skin changes or ulcers. We conclude that women treated for FIVT in pregnancy with thrombectomy followed by anticoagulant therapy may undergo a new pregnancy with low risk of obstetrical complications and with a low risk of developing rethrombosis or chronic venous insufficiency.
Anticoagulants↗
Exposure of sows to Ascaris suum influences worm burden distributions in experimentally infected suckling piglets.
This paper reports on the influence of maternal exposure to Ascaris suum on worm burden distributions in experimentally infected piglets. In the first study, sows were inoculated before and during gestation (6 months, long-term exposure) with 10,000 A. suum eggs twice weekly. In a second study, sows were inoculated during gestation only (3 months, short-term exposure) with increasing doses of eggs (10,000-40,000 eggs twice weekly). Helminth-naive sows served as controls in both studies. The third study used the same design as the short-term exposure study, but piglets from exposed and control sows were cross-suckled within 4 h of birth before colostrum uptake. All piglets were inoculated 2 or 3 times with 50 A. suum eggs on days 4 and 7 (and 14) after birth, and left with the sows. At 10 weeks of age all piglets were necropsied, and liver lesions and worm burdens were recorded. Surprisingly, in piglets born to long-term exposed sows, the prevalence of A. suum infection and the mean worm burden were significantly higher than those in piglets from control sows. In contrast, neither worm burdens nor prevalence were significantly different between piglets from short-term exposed sows compared with their controls. In the cross-suckling experiment, 67% of piglets suckling control sows harboured worms at slaughter, compared with 15% of piglets suckling exposed sows. Maximum likelihood analysis of worm burden distribution and the degree of parasite aggregation showed 3 distinctly different types of overdispersed distributions: worm counts in piglets from control sows, in piglets from short-term exposed sows and in piglets from long-term exposed sows. When the worm burden data were analysed including the cross-suckled piglets by biological mother, it appeared that the control and short-term distributions converged and that only the long-term exposure was significantly different. Overall, the degree of parasite aggregation in piglets infected with A. suum decreased with exposure of the sows. A non-linear relationship was observed between prevalence of infection and mean worm burden, which was different for piglets from exposed and control sows, and similar to relationships of this type that previously have been found in human A. lumbricoides infections. It was concluded that in porcine A. suum infections maternal exposure alters the distribution of worms in their offspring, in which the duration of exposure appeared to be an important influence. The results of the cross-suckling further suggest that maternal factors, e.g. antibodies, are transferred via colostrum.
Animals↗
Development of patent Ascaris suum infections in pigs following intravenous administration of larvae hatched in vitro.
The normal tissue migration of Ascaris suum in the pig host involves larval development in the liver accompanied by considerable pathological changes. The vast majority of larvae that reach the small intestine are later expelled by unknown mechanisms. We show that when migration through the liver is bypassed by inoculation of pigs with an intravenous dose of larvae hatched in vitro, the larvae not only complete migration and return to the small intestine, but they also seem to have a greater chance of survival to adulthood. This technique offers new possibilities for studies on specific lung involvement in protective immunity, provides valuable information for the understanding of self cure by larval expulsion, and adds to our understanding of the evolution of migration of Ascaris larvae in tissues.
Animals↗
Intestinal parasites in swine in the Nordic countries: multilevel modelling of Ascaris suum infections in relation to production factors.
In Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, 413 sow herds were randomly selected for sampling. Faeces from pigs of 7 age groups/categories were examined for helminth eggs (11,233 individual samples), and an accompanying questionnaire was completed at each visit. In total, 1138 pigs on 230 farms were found to be positive for Ascaris suum. Considerable differences in the occurrence of A. suum could be observed directly for several of 20 independent variables at the herd or category level. However, given that univariate analyses may be severely affected by confounding of covariates resulting in spurious inference, additional multivariate analyses were undertaken. An ordinary logistic regression on Ascaris positive/negative farms showed that Denmark had the highest frequency of infected herds, while Iceland and Finland had the lowest frequencies and that herds using 'late weaning' and 'Class 2' drugs (pyrantel, levamisole) were most often infected. Because many herds were found to be totally negative for A. suum, mixed hierarchical logistic-normal regression models (both the penalized quasi-likelihood and the Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods) were developed for both a full (all herds) and a reduced (the 230 infected herds) data set using either a cut-off of > 0 eggs per gram (epg) or > 200 epg to counter for false-positive egg counts. Estimates for identical models, but where the animal level variance was constrained to the binomial assumption, were also calculated. Significant covariates were robust to model development with 'Age group', 'Country', 'Weaning age', 'Water system' and simple interactions between the latter two and 'Age group' being significantly associated with the occurrence of A. suum, while all variables concerning anthelmintic drug, anthelmintic strategy, floor type, bedding, dung removal, washing and disinfection were not. These findings are discussed in the light of the complex relationship between A. suum and its pig host.
Age Factors↗
Experimental Ascaris suum infection in the pig: protective memory response after three immunizations and effect of intestinal adult worm population.
The protective immune response to larval migration in pigs, with or without adult intestinal worm populations, 10 weeks after 3 weekly Ascaris suum inoculations, was studied in 45 pigs. Controlled adult worm populations were achieved by oral transfer of 10 adult worms to previously immunized pigs after anthelmintic drenching. A significant reduction in larval recovery from lungs on day 7, and small intestine on day 14, was observed in immunized pigs compared with previously uninfected control pigs after challenge inoculation. The strong anamnestic response to larval migration was characterized by blood eosinophilia and specific immune responses measured by peripheral blood enzyme-linked immunospot and immunosorbent assays using larval excretory-secretory products and adult body fluid as well as Western blotting with a panel of stage-specific A. suum antigens. Immune detection of a previously unreported 10 kDa band, specific to the L2 larval stage and egg hatch fluid, emerged in all pigs after challenge, while the major adult body fluid constituent, ABA-1, remained unrecognized. No significant effect of an intestinal adult worm burden on the larval recovery after a challenge inoculation or on the immune response before or after challenge inoculation could be detected. These results indicate that a significant protective memory immune response to A. suum challenge inoculation can be induced in pigs, and that this protective immunity is not significantly modulated by the presence of adult parasites in the gut.
Age Factors↗