Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “CAMELS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,459 records · Page 81Linked to original sources

Comparison of rat anterior and intermediate pituitary in tissue culture: corticotropin (ACTH) and beta-endorphin.

The forms of immunoreactive beta-endorphin-sized material in extracts of anterior and intermediate-posterior pituitary from the rat examined by the ion exchange chromatography method of Zakarian & Smyth. The anterior pituitary primarily contained material that co-migrated with synthetic camel beta-endorphin(1-31), whereas the intermediate-posterior pituitary contained relatively little such material. The majority of immunoactive beta-endorphin-sized peptides in the intermediate pituitary eluted at lower concentrations of NaCl than did camel beta-endorphin. Conditions were developed for the stable, long-term tissue culture of dissociated intermediate-posterior pituitary cells. Extracts of cells maintained in tissue culture for 18 h or nine days had the same content of immunoreactive beta-endorphin, 16k fragment, ACTH(18-39) (or CLIP) and ACTH(17-24). Throughout the nine days in culture, characteristic cells that could be immunostained with antibodies to various regions of pro-ACTH/endorphin were present; during the time in culture, non-reactive background cells multiplied rapidly. The major proteolytic processing of pro-ACTH/endorphin remained characteristic of intermediate pituitary tissue throughout the nine days in tissue culture, and did not become similar to the simpler pattern of proteolytic processing found in the anterior pituitary.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Detection and quantification of CD8(+) T cells specific for HLA-A*0201-binding melanoma and viral peptides by the IFN-gamma-ELISPOT assay.

Blood lymphocytes from HLA-A*0201-subtyped melanoma patients and healthy controls were screened for the presence of T cells specific for HLA-A*0201-binding melanoma and viral peptide antigens by the enzyme-linked immunoSPOT (ELISPOT) assay. CD8(+) cells were tested for peptide-specific IFN-gamma release immediately after selection as well as after 2 weeks of in vitro stimulation. After in vitro stimulation, CD8(+) T cells specific for influenza were measured in all patients and controls, whereas these T cells could be detected among nonstimulated CD8(+) cells in only 52% of individuals. Similarly, T cells specific for EBV were more frequently measured among in vitro-stimulated than nonstimulated CD8(+) cells. In nonstimulated CD8(+) cells, T cells specific for MART-1/Melan-A, gp100, tyrosinase and CAMEL were present in 4 (33%), 1 (8%), 1 (8%) and 3 (25%) of 12 patients, respectively. Only MART-1/Melan-A-specific CD8(+) T cells were found in 1 (11%) of 9 healthy controls. CD8(+) T cells specific for MAGE-2 were not observed. After in vitro stimulation, CD8(+) T cells specific for MART-1/Melan-A could be demonstrated in 6 (46%) of 13 patients and 2 (20%) of 10 controls. CD8(+) T cells specific for gp100 were detected in 1 patient after in vitro stimulation. No CD8(+) T cells specific for tyrosinase, MAGE-2 or CAMEL could be measured after in vitro stimulation. These data show that the ELISPOT assay allows direct ex vivo detection of CD8(+) T cells specific for viral and melanoma antigens. Furthermore, the data show that the sensitivity of the ELISPOT assay to measure influenza- and EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells can be enhanced by a short in vitro stimulation step, whereas opposing effects on numbers of CD8(+) T cells specific for melanoma antigens have been observed.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Phylogenetical and ontogenetical studies on the molecular weight heterogeneity of bovine serum transferrin.

Antitransferrin (Tf) rabbit serum was highly specific: it reacted with Tfs of ruminants, such as European breeds and Zebu breeds of cattle, Bali cattle, banteng, swamp and river types of water buffalo, anoa, goat, sheep, deer, antelope, camel, and giraffe, but did not react with serum of other non-ruminant species, such as pig, wild boar, hippopotamus, horse, rabbit, rat, chicken, etc. Electrophoresis of Tf and immunoglobulin G (IgG) complexes was carried out using sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Within ruminants, the following species showed two Tf molecules on SDS-PAGE; European and Zebu cattle, Bali cattle, banteng, two types of water buffalo, and two species of anoa. Other ruminants, sheep, goat, deer, antelope, camel, and giraffe, etc., showed only one Tf molecule. The Tf heterogeneity in molecular weight was, thus, restricted to Bos, Bubalus, and Anoa. The molecular weight of Tf of water buffalo was slightly larger than that of cattle on the gel. The peptide pattern from cyanogen bromide cleavage of Tf of the water buffalo differed clearly from that of cattle. Fetal Tf showed only one molecule during development, but a newborn calf has two Tf molecules, (one large and one small) within 18 hr after birth. We suggest, therefore, that the small molecules formed during the last month of gestation. The peptide patterns of adult and fetal Tfs cleaved by cyanogen bromide differed with regard to the two large peptides; fetal Tf, lacking the second-largest peptide, had twice the amount of the largest peptide compared with adult Tf. From these results, we suggest that a change in peptide sequence occurs from the last month of gestation, when the largest peptide is degraded to the second largest. However, a Tf-like protein detected in the liver microsomal fraction has only one molecular size, both in adult and in fetal livers.

Animals↗

Further studies on prevalence of hydatidosis in slaughtered animals from North Jordan.

Examination of 471 sheep, 118 goats, 157 cattle and 56 camels slaughtered in abattoirs in North Jordan was carried out during March-May 1984. Drought conditions that prevailed during the preceding winter led to slaughtering old female sheep (greater than or equal to 4 years) due to scarcity of food, which allowed us to analyse the prevalence of hydatidosis in various age groups of sheep. An overall infection rate of 27.8, 1.7, 5.8 and 10.7 percent was found in sheep, goats, cattle and camels, respectively. The infection rate was as low as 1.5 percent in male and 1.9 percent in female sheep under 2 years of age. However, the rate of hydatid infection increased with age and reached as high as 63.7 percent in ewes 4 years of age and older. The percentage of animals with fertile cysts was also highest in sheep (68.7 percent of infected animals) and increased with age reaching 100 percent in ewes which were 10 years of age or older. Analysis of all cysts recovered from the livers and lungs of infected ewes from various age groups revealed a sharp increase in the mean total number of cysts in age groups over 8 years of age. The fertility rate of the cysts in the liver was significantly greater in ewes 6 years old or more (64.8--78.6 percent) than in younger age groups (8.7-46.2 percent). In the lung, the fertility rate increased progressively with age reaching as high as 97.9 percent in ewes 10 years old or more. These findings of high infection and fertility rates of hydatid disease in sheep, particularly of older age groups, prompt plans for further epidemiological studies and control programmes.

Abattoirs↗

Previous H1N1 influenza A viruses circulating in the Mongolian population.

Four influenza A viruses of the subtype H1N1, isolated from Mongolian patients in Ulaanbaatar between 1985 and 1991, were analysed by sequencing of various RNA segments. The isolate from 1985 was found to be highly related in all genes sequenced to strains isolated from camels in the same region and at about the same time. These camel isolates were presumably derived from a UV-light inactivated reassortant vaccine (PR8 x USSR/77) prepared in Leningrad in 1978 and used in the Mongolian population at that time [19]. The human isolate from 1988 was also found to be a derivative of a reassortant between PR8 and USSR/77; in contrast to the 1985 isolate, however, it contained an HA closely related to PR8. One of the Mongolian isolates from 1991 (111/91) was in all genes sequenced closely related to PR8, while the other isolate from 1991 (162/91) was closely related to H1N1 strains isolated around 1986 in other parts of the world. About 12% of 235 convalescent sera collected in various parts of Mongolia contained antibodies against PR8, while none of German control sera contained such antibodies. The mutational and evolutionary rates of the Mongolian strains seem to be significantly lower when compared to the rates of human influenza A strains isolated in other parts of the world. This might indicate that these rates depend to a certain extent on the population density. Thus, viruses from remote areas might keep the potential to reappear in the human population after several years to cause a pandemic as it had happened in 1977.

Adolescent↗

Inhibition of zeta-crystallin by Coumarins: a structure-activity study.

A structure-activity study was carried out to determine the important groups of coumarin derivatives in inhibiting the oxidoreductase activity of the camel lens zeta-crystallin. Coumarin, 4-hydroxycoumarin, 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin, dicoumarol, and warfarin were screened for their inhibitory effect on zeta-crystallin activity. The sequence of potency for the inhibitors was dicoumarol > 4-hydroxycoumarin > warfarin > > coumarin. 7-Hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin was ineffective as an inhibitor. Only dicoumarol, 4-hydroxycoumarin, and warfarin were found to inhibit the oxidoreductase activity in micromolar ranges. All tested inhibitors seem to act in reversible and time-independent manner. Concentration causing 50% inhibition of the enzyme activity (IC50 value) was 34 microM for dicoumarol, 76 microM for 4-hydroxycoumarin, and approximately 515 microM for warfarin, while 1 mM coumarin showed less than 10% inhibition. Kinetic analysis revealed inhibition of camel lens zeta-crystallin by coumarin derivatives to occur in a competitive manner with respect to dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) as an electron acceptor and uncompetitive manner with respect to NADPH as an electron donor. The Ki values were found to be 16 microM for dicoumarol, 40 microM for 4-hydroxycoumarin, and 220 microM for warfarin. The structure-activity relationship of coumarin derivatives indicates that the phenolic hydroxyl group at the C-4 position in the coumarin skeleton is important for the maximal inhibition.

2,6-Dichloroindophenol↗

Bluetongue antibody in Botswana's domestic and game animals.

Bluetongue precipitating antibody was demonstrated in sera of cattle, camels, sheep, goats and seven game species. Of the domestic species the percentage of sera positive were; cattle 92%, camels 81%, goats 83% and sheep 36%. Sheep sera, unlike those of other domestic species, varied greatly from area to area in the percentage positive. Seroconversions were recorded in adult sheep between September and April. In adult cattle there was a gradual decline in the percentage positive with increasing age. Positive reactions were recorded in the following game species: impala (Aepyceros melampus), lechwe (Kobus leche), kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), gemsbok (Oryx gazella), springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) and tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus).

Animal Population Groups↗

Episodic molecular evolution of pituitary growth hormone in Cetartiodactyla.

The sequence of growth hormone (GH) is generally strongly conserved in mammals, but episodes of rapid change occurred during the evolution of primates and artiodactyls, when the rate of GH evolution apparently increased substantially. As a result the sequences of higher primate and ruminant GHs differ markedly from sequences of other mammalian GHs. In order to increase knowledge of GH evolution in Cetartiodactyla (Artiodactyla plus Cetacea) we have cloned and characterized GH genes from camel (Camelus dromedarius), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), and giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), using genomic DNA and a polymerase chain reaction technique. As in other mammals, these GH genes comprise five exons and four introns. Two very similar GH gene sequences (encoding identical proteins) were found in each of hippopotamus and giraffe. The deduced sequence for the mature hippopotamus GH is identical to that of dolphin, in accord with current ideas of a close relationship between Cetacea and Hippopotamidae. The sequence of camel GH is identical to that reported previously for alpaca GH. The sequence of giraffe GH is very similar to that of other ruminants but differs from that of nonruminant cetartiodactyls at about 18 residues. The results demonstrate that the apparent burst of rapid evolution of GH occurred largely after the separation of the line leading to ruminants from other cetartiodactyls.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of a SINE species from vicuna and its distribution in animal species including the family Camelidae.

Twenty-six sequences of a short interspersed repetitive element (SINE) with a size of approximately 150 base pairs (bp) were isolated from the genomic DNA of Vicugna vicugna (vicuna). RNA polymerase III split promoter sequence was observed in most of them, and many had direct repeats flanking to SINEs as well as a poly(A)-like structure. The SINE sequences were designated as "vic-1" sequences. Comparison of the vic-1 consensus sequence with sequences registered in the DNA database (DDBJ/ EMBL/GENBANK) revealed that the vic-1 sequence had a 79% homology with mouse ala-tRNA gene. In addition, the tRNA-related region of the consensus sequence was folded into a cloverleaf structure as with mouse ala-tRNA. These findings strongly indicated that vic-1 was a retroposon derived from ala-tRNA gene. The vic-1 sequences were used as a probe for dot-blot hybridization to examine the distribution of their homologous sequences in the genomes of various animal species spanning 14 orders, of which, homologous sequences were found only in the Camelidae family. In order to examine the phylogenetical relationship among vicuna, llama, and camel, vic-1 insertion analysis and homology analysis of vic-1 sequences were performed at each locus. The analyses indicated that vic-1 sequences were generated in a common ancestor of the animal species, and that camels first branched off from the clade Camelidae, followed by vicunas and llamas.

Animals↗

Animal hair as biological indicator for heavy metal pollution in urban and rural areas.

Animal hair is a good biomonitoring tool for heavy metals assessment and reflects the content of heavy metals in the forage and soil. Heavy metals Fe, Mn, Co and Ni as well as toxic metals Cd and Pb were determined in goat, sheep and camel hair, forage and soil collected from four different environmental urban and rural regions. These regions are Aswan city farms, Allaqi desert pasture, Kalabsha farms and Halaiub desert pasture at far south of Egypt. The results reveal that sheep hair contains the highest levels of Fe and Mn (879 and 55 microg/g, respectively), camel hair contains the highest Pb, whereas for goat Cd and Ni were the highest. Heavy metal concentrations in the studied hair reflect the presence of these metals in the surrounding forage and soil and vary from one area to another, and give knowledge of pollution in the area. Correlation statistics analysis and cluster analysis show a good and significant value between metals in hair and plants.

Animals↗

zeta-Crystallin is a major protein in the lens of Camelus dromedarius.

Camel (Camelus dromedarius) lenses contain a protein with an apparent subunit Mr 38,000 that constitutes approximately 8-13% of the total protein. The protein has been purified and has a native Mr 140,000 as determined by gel filtration. This is consistent with its being a tetramer. The protein reacts with antibodies raised against both guinea pig zeta-crystallin and peptides corresponding to amino acids 1-10 and 295-308, but not to antibodies raised against amino acids 320-328 of zeta-crystallin. Based on these criteria it is concluded that this protein, which is a major constituent of camel lens, is zeta-crystallin. This may be the first example of a protein (enzyme) being independently utilized as a crystallin in the lens of species from two mammalian orders.

Animals↗

Kinetics of the reaction of intraerythrocytic haemoglobin by single cell microspectroscopy: effect of shape and osmolarity.

The kinetics of the reaction of CO with intraerythrocytic haemoglobin has been studied in single red blood cells (RBC) using a scanning microspectrophotometer and a photochemical perturbation method. Measurements have been carried out using red blood cells from man and camel (Camelus dromedarius), the latter at different osmotic pressures. Camel RBC, which are smaller and different in shape compared to human RBC, are known to remain intact even at an osmolarity 6-times lower than physiological (280-290 mosm/l), swelling up to twice their normal volume. The results show that the recombination time course is affected by diffusion of CO through a stagnant layer of solvent around the cell membrane, but that it is also influenced by other parameters such as intracellular diffusion of ligand and haemoglobin.

Animals↗

Isoelectrofocusing on flat bed for determining and separating beta-endorphin.

Camel synthetic beta-endorphin focused in three bands by isoelectrofocusing on 1 mm polyacrylamide thin gel. All the bands have opioid activity, measured on guinea pig ileum, and radioimmunologically react with beta-endorphin antiserum. Since beta-endorphin from rat pituitary gland, particularly from the neurointermediate lobe, also focused in several bands, we hypothesized that the camel peptide occurs in different conformations. A quick, simple technique based on histoelectrofocusing is proposed as a good approach to separating and measuring beta-endorphin from rat pituitary lobes. The method gives very high recovery.

Animals↗

The Rift Valley fever epizootic in Egypt 1977-78. 2. Ecological and entomological studies.

Epidemiological factors related to the introduction, spread and maintenance of Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus were studied during the 1977-78 epizootic in Egypt, Culex pipiens is the most ubiquitous and prevalent mosquito species in the Nile Valley and Delta. Isolation of RVF virus from unengorged C. pipiens, and demonstration of laboratory transmission of the virus by this species, strongly implicate it as the chief vector in Egypt. Virus transmission to man also occurs by contamination when handling infected meat and by inhaling natural virus aerosols. Wild rodents apparently do not serve as RVF virus reservoirs. Domestic sheep, cattle, buffaloes, camels, goats, donkeys and dogs act as amplifying hosts. Over 30% of the camels sampled at the southern border of Egypt were serologically positive for antibodies to RVF virus and it appears likely that the virus was introduced into Egypt, either by these animals or by other vehicles from the south.

Animals↗

A survey for haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody to West Nile virus in human and animal sera in Nigeria.

A survey for West Nile Virus (WNV) haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody was carried out in humans and domestic animals. Human sera were collected from Ibadan, while the animal sera were collected from both Ibadan and Maiduguri. Out of 304 human sera tested, 123 were positive (40%). There was a higher prevalence of HI antibody in adults than children. Sex distribution of positive sera showed that 37% of males and 43% of females had WNV HI antibody. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of HI antibody in both sexes. On the 123 WNV HI positive sera tested, 104 (85%) and 78 (75%) had yellow fever and Potiskum HI antibody respectively. Monotypic WNV virus reactions were frequently found in children while polytypic reactions were frequently found in adults. A total of 200 animal sera were examined, 50 camels, 50 goats, 49 cattle and 51 sheep. The highest prevalence of HI antibody was found in camels (26%), followed by sheep (20%). Percentage of positive sera in other species were: goat (18%) and cattle (6%). Of the 35 WNV HI positive animal sera, 26 and 20% reacted with Yellow fever and Potiskum virus antigens respectively.

Adolescent↗

Determination of the primary and secondary structures of the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) prolactin and comparison with prolactins from other species.

A non-glycosylated form of camel prolactin (camPRL), isolated from one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) pituitaries, was totally sequenced. A glycosylated form, separated by affinity chromatography on ConA-Sepharose, was partially sequenced. The comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequences of the glycosylated and non-glycosylated forms showed that the only putative site of N-glycosylation (Asn-31) was indeed glycosylated. The far ultraviolet (UV) circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the two isohormones were identical, suggesting that the carbohydrate moiety had no effect on the global camPRL secondary structure. The far UV circular dichroism spectra of the two isohormones were analyzed in order to determine their relative proportions of periodic secondary structure, 60% of which was found to be in alpha-helix, as in prolactins of other species. The dromedary sequence was compared to those of other species and interpreted in term of evolutionary process. As already found for gonadotropins, the closest species to the dromedary was found to be the pig.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Electrophoretic karyotyping is a sensitive epidemiological tool for studying Trypanosoma evansi infections.

Thirty-six isolates of trypanozoon trypanosomes collected from camels in Northern Kenya during the dry season sporadic infections of 1986 and during the wet season epidemic infections of 1987 were identified as Trypanosoma evansi by the homogeneity of their kinetoplast DNA minicircles. Although the minicircles of all the isolates were indistinguishable, polymorphism in chromosome-sized DNA molecules detected by electrophoresis was extensive. The isolates could be grouped into eight distinct electrophoretic karyotypes which could be distinguished from three additional karyotypes identified among earlier T. evansi isolates. In one camel herd with a long history of trypanocide application, which was continued during the present study, all isolates bar one belonged to one karyotype group. From a second herd, in which trypanosomosis management was by individual treatment of proven parasitaemic cases, isolates with diverse karyotypes were obtained. Some of the karyotypes identified during the dry season sporadic infections were re-isolated in the subsequent wet season epidemic. These observations indicate that distinguishing T. evansi isolates by molecular electrophoretic karyotypes is more discriminating than kDNA analysis. Observations of karyotype patterns recurring in isolates from herds kept under chemoprophylaxis could help in the identification of drug-resistant parasites.

Animals↗

Comparative studies on the major features of insulin receptors in mammalian and non-mammalian liver membranes.

1. The camel has insulin receptors that by multiple function criteria are very similar to those of the other mammals (rabbit and rat) and non-mammals (chicken and pigeon), with sharp pH dependence to insulin binding at pH 7.2-7.6. 2. Equilibrium binding was faster at higher temperatures (24-37 degrees C) than at lower (4 degrees C). 3. Binding data yielded curvilinear Scatchard plots with half maximal displacement of 125I-insulin at 9 x 10(-9) M, 2.5 x 10(-9) M, 6.3 x 10(-10) M for camel, rabbit, pigeon and chicken respectively, suggesting differences in mammalian and non-mammalian liver membranes. 4. Autoradiogram patterns showed the presence of an identical subunit structure with Mr 74,000 for all membranes studied. Pigeon membrane showed a band with Mr 110,000, the absence of which in other membranes could be due to the degradation factor or the concentration of disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS).

Animals↗