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Biomedical subjects

S J Kelly

Publications and source records attributed to S J Kelly.

80 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Maternal urinary tract infection alters water maze performance in the offspring.

The effects of maternal urinary tract infection (UTI) or endotoxin exposure on fetal outcome in rats were investigated. Prior to conception, dams of the UTI group were water-deprived and anesthetized. The urinary tract was then catheterized and injected with 0.2 of 1 x 10(9) Escherichia coli. The endotoxin group was injected with 0.03 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide on the fourth day of gestation and then every third day thereafter. The control groups were treated in the same manner, with the exception that the infection control was not catheterized or injected with E. coli, and the endotoxin control was not exposed to lipopolysaccharide. A nontreated control group was weighed daily. Beginning on postnatal day (PD) 19, offspring were tested daily in a water maze spatial navigation task. The retention latencies (Sessions 7--10) revealed deficits in the infection and endotoxin groups. In the rat model, these findings suggest that exposure during gestation to a maternal immune challenge may result in adverse fetal outcome.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alcohol exposure during development alters social recognition and social communication in rats.

The present study examined the effects of postnatal alcohol exposure via gastric intubation on social communication of diet preference and social recognition. Rats were placed in one of three treatment groups. All treatments occurred from postnatal day (PD) 2 through 10 and Experiments 1 and 2 were conducted when the rats reached 60 and 100 days of age, respectively. Alcohol-exposed pups received a 3.0 g/kg dose of ethanol in milk solution that was delivered by insertion of PE-10 tubing down the esophagus daily from PD 2 through 10. Intubated control animals underwent intubation without ethanol or milk. Nontreated control pups were weighted daily. In Experiment 1, a nonexperimental rat was initially given access to lab chow mixed with a spice and then housed with an experimental rat for 30 min. The experimental rat was subsequently given access to two diets--one that the nonexperimental rat had consumed and a novel diet. It was found that the alcohol-exposed females consumed a greater percent of the communicated diet than the control females. In Experiment 2, the experimental rats were first exposed to a juvenile for 5 min and then exposed to the same juvenile after a delay of 30 or 90 min. Investigation time was recorded in both sessions and a reduction of investigation time in the second session is an indicator of social recognition memory. Alcohol-exposed rats of both sexes had poorer memory of a juvenile than both control groups after a 90-min delay. Together, these data indicate that basic components of social behavior may be altered by alcohol exposure during development.

Alcohol-Related Disorders↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Heart rate orienting and respiratory sinus arrhythmia development in rats exposed to alcohol or hypoxia.

The effect of alcohol exposure and hypoxia on the heart rate orienting response and RSA development was studied in preweanling rats. Rats were artificially reared from postnatal days 4 through 12 and either exposed to alcohol (5 g/kg/day) or hypoxia (two 15-min episodes/day) from postnatal days 4 to 10. Control groups consisted of artificially reared and normally reared rats not exposed to alcohol or hypoxia. The heart rate and respiration was recorded at baseline and during repeated exposures to auditory and visual stimuli every other day from postnatal day 13 through 21. The hypoxia group showed an enhanced heart rate orienting response to the auditory stimuli on postnatal days 17 and 19 compared to the other three groups, which did not differ from each other. The baseline interbeat interval increased over this period of time and there was a large increase in respiratory sinus arrhythmia from postnatal day 15 to 21. The alcohol and hypoxia rats showed significantly less of an increase in respiratory sinus arrhythmia on postnatal days 19 and 21. All rats showed a greater response to the auditory stimuli than to the visual stimuli on postnatal days 17 and 19 and all groups showed equivalent habituation to both stimuli within a session. The results suggest that respiratory sinus arrhythmia and the heart rate response to stimuli may not be strongly related during this developmental stage in the rat and that hypoxia but not alcohol exposure alters attentional processes for auditory stimuli as measured by the heart rate orienting response.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on social behavior in humans and other species.

Alcohol exposure during development causes central nervous system alterations in both humans and animals. Although the most common behavioral manifestation of these alterations is a reduction in cognitive abilities, it is becoming increasingly apparent that deficits in social behavior may be very prevalent sequelae of developmental alcohol exposure. In infancy and early childhood, deficits in attachment behavior and state regulation are seen in both alcohol-exposed people and animals, suggesting that these changes are largely the result of the alcohol exposure rather than maternal behavior. In the periadolescent period, people exposed to alcohol during development show a variety of difficulties in the social domain as measured by checklists filled out by either a parent or teacher. Rats exposed to alcohol during development show changes in play and parenting behaviors. In adulthood, prenatal alcohol exposure is related to high rates of trouble with the law, inappropriate sexual behavior, depression, suicide, and failure to care for children. These high rates all suggest that there may be fundamental problems in the social domain. In other animals, perinatal alcohol exposure alters aggression, active social interactions, social communication and recognition, maternal behavior, and sexual behavior in adults. In conclusion, research suggests that people exposed to alcohol during development may exhibit striking changes in social behavior; the animal research suggests that these changes may be largely the result of the alcohol insult and not the environment.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Phenoxyacetic acid herbicides and chlorophenols and the etiology of lymphoma and soft-tissue neoplasms.

The phenoxyacetic acid herbicides and the chlorophenols are compounds of economic importance. The herbicide 2,4-D is widely used in agriculture, industry, and the home. Recently, concern has arisen over their safety as a result of studies linking these compounds with soft-tissue sarcomas and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. We reviewed the available literature in order to advise a provincial government regulatory body and investigated methodologic issues by examining the pattern of reported cases in Alberta. We conclude that, taking into account the serious limitations on methodology in the available data, the evidence for a causal association is strongest for non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and probably reflects either a weak effect or, possibly, a confounding exposure associated with the use of 2,4-D. Given the worst-case assumptions, however, the potency of 2,4-D as a carcinogen is probably weak. Its intrinsic toxicity is less than that of alternative herbicides and the hazard posed by its use is probably much less than either the use of chemical alternatives or manual cleaning of vegetation, which carry a high risk of occupational injuries.

Chlorophenols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in the adipose tissue of British Columbia residents.

Adipose tissue from a sample of 41 British Columbians was analyzed for a number of organochlorine pesticides. Pesticide concentrations were very low. Persistent fat-soluble compounds like DDT were found at the highest concentrations, whereas compounds that either quickly metabolize to other forms or are readily excreted were found at low levels or not detected. Data on age, sex, area of residence, occupation, diet and weight were obtained by interview. Increasing age was related to increasing levels of several of the persistent pesticides. Although there were insufficient data for statistical analysis, two individuals with potential occupational exposures had much higher levels of the pesticides than other subjects. Although population-based surveys of these organochlorine pesticides in human tissue may have little value, further study may be warranted for groups known to have had high exposures (e.g. occupationally exposed).

Adipose Tissue↗