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Biomedical subjects

S Kennedy

Publications and source records attributed to S Kennedy.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Anti-endometrial and anti-endothelial auto-antibodies in women with endometriosis.

The present study investigates the specificity of anti-endometrial antibodies present in serum of women with endometriosis. A two colour indirect immuno-histochemical method was used, so that the antigenic reactivity of endogenous immunoglobulins was blocked and specific anti-endometrial antibodies were readily distinguishable. Serum was collected from women with endometriosis, before and after 6 months of treatment, and from women without the disease. The reactivity of serum with uterine and ectopic endometrium from women with and without the disease was studied. The frequency of anti-endometrial antibodies in the serum of women with endometriosis was higher (P < 0.001) than in control sera. Most antibodies specifically reacted with glands in ectopic and uterine endometrium. Antibody reactivity was strongest with endometrium from control women, compared with uterine and ectopic endometrium from women with endometriosis (P < 0.01). A proportion of sera containing anti-endometrial antibodies also reacted with vascular endothelium. Binding was strongest to vessels in uterine and ectopic endometrium from women with endometriosis compared to endometrium from women without the disease (P < 0.01). The presence of anti-endometrial antibodies was associated with infertility.

Antibody Specificity↗
PubMed1993

An open study of oral flesinoxan, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, in treatment-resistant depression.

Flesinoxan, a full 5-HT1A receptor agonist, was administered (4-8 mg) to treatment-resistant depressed patients in an open study. Safety and tolerance of the substance appeared satisfactory. Headache, dizziness and nausea were the most frequently reported side effects. The observations suggested that flesinoxan is an antidepressant agent and that it may be of particular value in some difficult, treatment-resistant depressions. Based on these observations, a double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of flesinoxan's efficacy appears warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Quantitative versus qualitative analysis of peak expiratory flow in occupational asthma.

BACKGROUND: Peak expiratory flow rates (PEF) are often used to confirm the diagnosis of occupational asthma. The records are usually analysed qualitatively, and this may lead to interobserver disagreement. In this study the diagnostic value of a qualitative assessment of change in PEF was compared with objective measures of change in PEF and the results of a specific inhalation challenge test with plicatic acid. METHODS: Twenty five patients with possible red cedar asthma recorded PEF six times a day for three weeks at work and for two weeks away from work and underwent a challenge test with plicatic acid at the end of the recording period. Patients were considered to have cedar asthma if the FEV1 after inhalation of plicatic acid was 15% or more below that on the control day. PEF was plotted against time and assessed qualitatively by three physicians. The graph was considered positive for cedar asthma if two of the three physicians agreed that PEF was lower at work than away from work. The 95% confidence interval for variation in PEF between periods at work and away from work was also obtained from 15 asthmatic patients without occupational asthma. Differences in PEF between periods at work and away from work were considered positive for occupational asthma in the patients exposed to cedar when they were outside the 95% confidence interval for variations in PEF in the 15 patients whose asthma was nonoccupational. RESULTS: Of the 25 men studied, 15 had a positive response to plicatic acid. The qualitative PEF analysis had a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 90% in confirming red cedar asthma as diagnosed by the specific challenge test. Among the objective methods tested, only the difference in mean PEF between the maximum PEF at weekends and the minimum PEF on working days had a sensitivity (93%) greater than that of the qualitative method and a similar specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The qualitative assessment of PEF is a good diagnostic test for cedar asthma. Only one objective method of PEF analysis proved to be slightly more sensitive than the qualitative method and similar in specificity.

Asthma↗
PubMed1993

Vitamin E and selenium deficiencies increase indices of lipid peroxidation in muscle tissue of ruminant calves.

Indices of lipid peroxidation were investigated in muscle tissues of 1) calves depleted of vitamin E and/or Se and 2) calves depleted of vitamin E and Se and fed daily supplements of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Calves deficient in both vitamin E and Se or deficient in vitamin E alone showed elevated muscle concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), ascorbate-induced TBARS (ATBARS), ascorbate-induced hexanal and iron-induced 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE). Muscle tissue of calves depleted of Se alone showed no increases in these indices of lipid peroxidation. Two further groups of calves were fed diets either sufficient or deficient in both vitamin E and Se. Both of these groups were then fed linseed oil, protected against ruminal hydrogenation, as a source of PUFA. The deficient animals had higher muscle concentrations of all three indices of lipid peroxidation than the supplemented calves. Furthermore, feeding PUFA to vitamin E and Se deficient animals increased muscle concentrations of induced HNE to levels above those in deficient animals not fed PUFA supplements.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed1993

Cancer in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of cancer arising in pregnancy and to report its recurrence in those women with a past history of the disease. DESIGN: Retrospective study over 11 years. SETTING: John Radcliffe Maternity Hospital. PATIENTS: 25,568 Oxford District Health Authority residents who delivered at the John Radcliffe Maternity Hospital, and 6775 residents who had a termination of pregnancy, between 1 January 1981 and 31 December 1985. INTERVENTIONS: Retrospective analysis of case records to identify pregnancies complicated by cancer and follow-up through patients' general practitioners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal mortality and disease recurrence. RESULTS: The study identified 32 pregnancies complicated by cancer in 28 women and four terminations of pregnancy performed for cancer as the main or secondary indication. By the end of 1991, three women had died, one woman had been treated for disease recurrence, 17 women were in good health and seven women had been lost to follow-up. There were six cases of cancer arising de novo in pregnancy, i.e. an incidence of 2.35 per 10,000 deliveries (95% confidence interval 0.47 to 4.22). Only one pregnancy was complicated by disease recurrence. CONCLUSION: The incidence of cancer arising de novo in pregnancy is lower than the most quoted figure of 9.92 per 10,000 pregnancies.

Female↗
PubMed1992

The relationship between the activity of methionine synthase and the ratio of S-adenosylmethionine to S-adenosylhomocysteine in the brain and other tissues of the pig.

Using nitrous oxide to inactivate methionine synthase in vivo, the relationship of the activity of methionine synthase to the S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)/S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) ratio was examined in neural and other tissues of the pig. Pigs were exposed to 15% nitrous oxide for varying intervals of up to 7 days or studied at varying intervals of recovery in air after 7 days nitrous oxide inhalation, and the rate of inactivation or resynthesis of methionine synthase was related to the corresponding AdoMet/AdoHcy ratios. The rate of inactivation of enzyme during nitrous oxide exposure was considerably faster in the liver and kidney than in the brain and spinal cord with activity levelling off between 10% and 20% of control values. The AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio fell in all tissues during nitrous oxide treatment, the fall being most marked in the brain and spinal cord where a 10-fold change occurred. This change was attributed mainly to a rise in AdoHcy levels. The recovery pattern of methionine synthase was broadly linear but was slower in the spinal cord (0.10 +/- 0.03% per hr; mean +/- SEM) than in any other tissue examined including brain (0.35 +/- 0.04% per hr). Correspondingly, the recovery of the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio was also significantly slower in the spinal cord. When values for exposure and recovery were combined there was a significant correlation between the activity of methionine synthase and the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio in both the brain (r = 0.90; P < 0.001) and the spinal cord (r = 0.92; P < 0.001). These results support the concept that the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio is closely related to the pathogenic process which produces the neurologic lesions associated with a reduction in methionine synthase activity.

5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltran↗
PubMed1992

Morbillivirus infection in two common porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the coasts of England and Scotland.

Two common porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), one found stranded on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, and the other in the Moray Firth, Scotland, in late 1990, were examined post mortem. Lesions of diffuse bronchointerstitial pneumonia were present in both animals; they were characterised by the infiltration of alveoli with leucocytes, macrophages and multinucleate syncytia, the necrosis of bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium, focal proliferation of type II pneumocytes and occasional acidophilic cytoplasmic inclusions in alveolar macrophages and syncytia. Lymphoid depletion was apparent in the spleen, thymus and lymph nodes of both porpoises. Other changes in the Isle of Sheppey porpoise included severe dacryoadenitis. Marked pharyngitis, oesophagitis and balanoposthitis were present in the Moray Firth porpoise. Immunoperoxidase staining revealed the presence of morbillivirus antigen in a range of epithelia from both porpoises. This is the first report of morbillivirus infection in cetaceans from the coast of Great Britain.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Bog asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum) poisoning in cattle.

Fifteen cows among a herd of 50 suckler cows and calves rapidly lost body condition and became dull and anorexic after grazing pasture containing bog asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum) during the summer of 1989. The affected cows had evidence of kidney damage characterised by elevated plasma urea and creatinine concentrations. Eleven cows died and diffuse renal tubular necrosis was present in three cows which were examined post mortem. Similar renal lesions were reproduced experimentally by feeding bog asphodel to a healthy calf.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Phocine distemper virus, the agent responsible for the 1988 mass mortality of seals.

The biochemical characterisation of phocine distemper virus (PDV) has shown that PDV is related to but clearly distinct from canine distemper virus (CDV) and relative to its relationship with CDV is only remotely related to the other morbilliviruses, namely measles virus (MV) or rinderpest virus (RPV) and peste-des-petits-ruminants virus (PPRV). Comparative studies with monoclonal antibodies indicate that the virus is serologically closely related to CDV with many conserved epitopes, particularly on the internal proteins of the virus, while the external attachment (H) protein shows the greatest level of variability among the distemper virus isolates. The analysis of the viral proteins by electrophoresis indicates molecular weight differences between CDV and PDV in the fusion (F), phosphoprotein (P), H, nucleocapsid (N) and matrix (M) proteins. The RNA profiles of CDV and PDV are indistinguishable and different from those for RPV and MV. Nucleotide sequence analysis of cDNA clones of the virus show approximately 70% homology between CDV and PDV and approximately 48% with MV. These data prove that PDV is a different virus from CDV and co-circulates with it probably primarily in sea mammals.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Organochlorine levels in common seals (Phoca vitulina) which were victims and survivors of the 1988 phocine distemper epizootic.

We compared concentrations of organochlorines in the blubber of common seals (Phoca vitulina) found dead during the 1988 phocine distemper epizootic with levels in animals which survived it. There were highly significant differences between the live and dead animals, and between sample sites. These were not fully accounted for by seasonal and condition-related changes in blubber thickness.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1992

Tissue concentrations of organochlorine compounds in common seals from the coast of Northern Ireland.

An epizootic of morbillivirus infection killed several hundred common seals (Phoca vitulina) along the coast of Northern Ireland in 1988. Many dead and moribund seals were submitted to the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Veterinary Research Laboratories for necropsy. Samples of blubber, liver and kidney were collected from these animals (n = 55) for analysis for a wide range of organochlorine pesticides and also total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The organochlorines found in highest concentrations in blubber were PCBs which were detected in all samples (mean, 26 micrograms g-1 wet wt). sigma DDT (mean, 2.63 micrograms g-1 wet wt) and chlordane (mean, 0.22 micrograms g-1 wet wt) were also present in all samples. Heptachlor including heptachlor epoxide (mean, 0.13 micrograms g-1 wet wt) was present in over 93% of samples. Seventy-four percent of samples contained alpha HCH (mean, 0.035 micrograms g-1 wet wt), 50% contained beta HCH (mean, 0.026 micrograms g-1 wet wt) while gamma HCH (mean, 0.012 micrograms g-1 wet wt) was detected in 46% of samples. The organochlorine concentrations found in this study are at the lower end of the range previously reported for European common seals.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1992

Vitamin E-responsive myopathy in rainbow trout fry (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Unacceptably high mortalities in rainbow trout fry (Oncorhynchus mykiss) six to 10 weeks after they started to feed were recorded in two spring water trout hatcheries in Northern Ireland in May 1989. Muscle degeneration and necrosis were consistent with histopathological findings in both outbreaks, and this myopathy was similar to that previously described in salmonids and other species associated with vitamin E and selenium deficiency. A feed trial was designed to investigate the hypothesis that the vitamin E requirement of rainbow trout fry on these farms was higher than the current minimum recommendations. Three groups of fry were fed diets containing 147, 239 and 532 iu/kg alpha-tocopherol. The mortality in the groups was inversely related to the dietary alpha-tocopherol concentration, and there was severe myopathy in fry fed the diet containing 147 iu/kg alpha-tocopherol, mild myopathy in fry fed 239 iu/kg alpha-tocopherol but no myopathy in fry fed 532 iu/kg alpha-tocopherol.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1992

Correlation of the ratio of S-adenosyl-L-methionine to S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of the pig: implications for the determination of this methylation ratio in human brain.

1. Pigs were maintained in air or in an atmosphere of nitrous oxide which dramatically changes the S-adenosyl-L-methionine to S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine ratio in neural tissues. Samples of cerebrospinal fluid, cortex, cerebellum and spinal cord were then extracted and analysed for S-adenosyl-L-methionine and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine. Regression analyses were carried out on values obtained in cerebrospinal fluid and in neural tissues. 2. Highly significant correlations were obtained between levels of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (r2 = 0.42-0.69; P less than 0.001) and S-adenosyl-L-methionine/S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine ratios (r2 = 0.56-0.65; P less than 0.001) in cerebrospinal fluid and levels and ratios in cortex, cerebellum and spinal cord. The levels of S-adenosyl-L-methionine did not show a significant correlation. 3. We conclude that the ratio of these metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid may reflect the ratio in the central nervous system and we suggest that this may also be true in human tissues. This finding will permit the determination of the probable methylation ratio in the central nervous system in human conditions, such as vitamin B12 deficiency and acquired immune deficiency syndrome, where a similar myelopathy occurs to that seen in the nitrous oxide-treated pig. All three myelopathies may arise from an inhibition of methyltransferases involved in the synthesis of myelin that would occur when the methylation ratio is reduced.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Cobalt-vitamin B-12 deficiency decreases methionine synthase activity and phospholipid methylation in sheep.

Two groups of lambs were fed either a Co-deficient or a Co-sufficient whole barley-based diet for 28 wk to induce a severe Co-vitamin B-12 deficiency. Holo and apo methionine synthase activities were significantly lower in the liver, kidney and spinal cord of Co-deficient animals compared with controls. Neither form of this enzyme in the brain was affected by Co deficiency. The ratio of the tissue concentrations of S-adenosyl methionine to S-adenosyl homocysteine was significantly lower only in the liver of Co-deficient animals, suggesting that the activity of hepatic SAM-dependent methyltransferase enzymes would be impaired. Measurements of tissue concentrations of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine revealed lower concentrations of phosphatidyl choline and a lower phosphatidyl choline:phosphatidyl ethanolamine ratio in both liver and brain of the Co-deficient animals. The latter finding occurred in the absence of changes in either methionine synthase activity or the methylation ratio and may result from impaired availability of hepatic phosphatidyl choline for transport into the brain.

5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltran↗
PubMed1992

Molecular characterization of phocine distemper virus: gene order and sequence of the gene encoding the attachment (H) protein.

Generation of a set of cDNA clones covering the N, P/V/C, M, F, H and part of the L gene of phocine distemper virus (PDV) has been described. The gene order of PDV determined from a physical as well as a transcriptional map, was identical to that of the other morbilliviruses so far studied. The H gene sequence (1951 nucleotides) contains one large open reading frame which encodes a protein of 607 amino acids, identical in length to that of the H protein of the Convac strain of canine distemper virus (CDV). Nucleotide and protein sequence comparisons between PDV and the other morbilliviruses provide further evidence in favour of PDV's inclusion in the morbillivirus genus as a distinct species closely related to CDV and more distantly to measles virus and rinderpest virus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Pathologic and immunocytochemical studies of morbillivirus infection in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba).

Hundreds of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) died along the Spanish Mediterranean coast during the second half of 1990. We necropsied 58 dolphins. Partial collapse of the lungs with patchy atelectasis, subcutaneous edema, icterus, and stomatitis were the most prominent gross morphologic changes. Histologically, a bronchiolo-interstitial pneumonia was the most frequent lesion (72% of the animals). It was characterized by hyperplasia of alveolar epithelial type II cells and formation of multinucleate syncytia in alveolar and bronchiolar lumina. Other prominent lesions were encephalitis (69%), lymphoid depletion, and formation of multinucleate syncytia in the cortex of lymph nodes. The distribution of morbillivirus antigen was investigated in 23 well-preserved dolphins using a monoclonal antibody against the hemagglutinin glycoprotein of phocine distemper virus. Positive immunostaining was found in brain (77%), in lung (70%), and in mesenteric (61%), mediastinal (47%), and prescapular (45%) lymph nodes. Phocine distemper virus antigen was demonstrated less frequently in trachea, stomach, biliary epithelium, intestine, kidney, and mammary gland. Necrotizing-hemorrhagic pneumonia and encephalitis due to Aspergillus fumigatus were seen in three dolphins, whereas two animals had lesions of toxoplasmosis. Changes in our dolphins were similar to those caused by distemper in seals and porpoises. The origin of the dolphin virus and the relationships among dolphin, seal, and porpoise morbilli viruses are unknown.

Animals↗