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Biomedical subjects

A A Cunningham

Publications and source records attributed to A A Cunningham.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Coamplification and dispersion of adjacent human endogenous retroviral HERV-H and HERV-E elements; presence of spliced hybrid transcripts in normal leukocytes.

In an RT-PCR study of HERV-H spliced subgenomic transcripts, we found transcripts with HERV-H leader and protease-encoding sequences spliced to HERV-E integrase-encoding sequences in lymphocytes from healthy blood donors. In other cell types, including two T-cell leukemia cell lines, these transcripts were absent. The PCR fragments of the hybrid transcripts contained two open reading frames (ORFs). One was a hybrid HERV-H protease/HERV-E integrase ORF and the other was the HERV-E envelope surface glycoprotein ORF. Alternative splice products were also identified. The genomic DNA origin of the hybrid transcripts was shown to be a HERV-H element with a large 3'-end deletion, adjacent to a HERV-E element lacking the 5'-LTR. This hybrid structure was shown to be amplified and dispersed to six different human chromosomes. Thus, a relatively large part of full-length HERV-E elements (15-20%) is potentially under the transcriptional control of HERV-H LTRs. The HERV-H/HERV-E junction was present in multiple copies also in the chimpanzee and gorilla, but not in the orangutan or old world monkeys.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed1997

Mortality of captive British wartbiter crickets: implications for reintroduction programs.

A fungal infection was identified as the cause of a high mortality rate of captive wartbiter cricket (Decticus verrucivorus) nymphs at the London Zoo (United Kingdom) in 1994. This species is threatened with extinction in the United Kingdom and the animals concerned were part of a captive breeding and reintroduction program. Following these findings, reintroductions were postponed and release sites were used only where there were no extant wartbiter crickets.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Pathological and microbiological findings from incidents of unusual mortality of the common frog (Rana temporaria).

In 1992 we began an investigation into incidents of unusual and mass mortalities of the common frog (Rana temporaria) in Britain which were being reported unsolicited to us in increasing numbers by members of the public. Investigations conducted at ten sites of unusual mortality resulted in two main disease syndromes being found: one characterized by skin ulceration and one characterized by systemic haemorrhages. However, frogs also were found with lesions common to both of these syndromes and microscopic skin lesions common to both syndromes were seen. The bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila, which has been described previously as causing similar lesions, was isolated significantly more frequently from haemorrhagic frogs than from those with skin ulceration only. However, as many of the latter were euthanased, this may have been due to differences in post mortem bacterial invasion. An iridovirus-like particle has been identified on electron microscopical examination of skin lesions from frogs with each syndrome and iridovirus-like inclusions have been detected in the livers of frogs with systemic haemorrhages. Also, an adenovirus-like particle has been cultured from one haemorrhagic frog. A poxvirus-like particle described previously from diseased frogs has now been found also in control animals and has been identified as a melanosome. Both the prevalence of the iridovirus-like particle and its association with lesions indicate that it may be implicated in the aetiology of the disease syndromes observed. Specifically, we hypothesize that primary iridovirus infection, with or without secondary infection with opportunistic pathogens such as A. hydrophila, may cause natural outbreaks of 'red-leg', a disease considered previously to be due to bacterial infection only.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed1996

Diagnosis and treatment of a parasitic dermatitis in a laboratory colony of African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis).

A parasitic dermatitis, caused by a nematode infestation of the epidermis, was diagnosed in 11 captive African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) by a histological examination of the skin. Eight of the animals died or were euthanased before effective treatment with levamisole was administered, and one frog died after being treated. Secondary infection with opportunistic pathogens may have been involved in the progression of the disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Health and welfare of rehabilitated juvenile hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) before and after release into the wild.

Thirteen wild caught juvenile hedgehogs were treated and overwintered in a rehabilitation centre and 12 were released into the wild and monitored by radiotelemetry. Clinical examinations were carried out before they were released and twice afterwards, and any hedgehogs found dead were examined post mortem. The health of the animals was generally good but dental disease, obesity and minor injuries were common. One hedgehog died before it was released and had cardiovascular and respiratory lesions, and one was euthanased 28 days after its release and had verminous enteritis and parasitic bronchitis. Three hedgehogs were killed by badgers, two were killed by road traffic and four were known to have survived when the study ended.

Aging↗
PubMed1995

Hematology of fledgling Manx shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus) with and without 'puffinosis'.

Hematological parameters were measured in 14 fledgling Manx shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus), with the disease puffinosis and in 10 birds that did not have the disease, on the Island of Skomer between 2 and 11 September 1991. The mean plasma fibrinogen concentration was significantly higher in the diseased birds and some of these had abnormally elevated monocyte counts. No other significant differences were observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Epidemiological observations on spongiform encephalopathies in captive wild animals in the British Isles.

Since 1986, scrapie-like spongiform encephalopathy has been diagnosed in 19 captive wild animals of eight species at or from eight zoological collections in the British Isles. The affected animals have comprised members of the family Bovidae: one nyala (Tragelaphus angasi), four eland (Taurotragus oryx), and six greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), one gemsbok (Oryx gazella), one Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), and one scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), and members of the family Felidae: four cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and one puma (Felis concolor). In addition, three cases of a spongiform encephalopathy of unknown aetiology have been reported in ostriches (Struthio camellus) from two zoos in north west Germany. Three features suggest that some of these cases may have been caused by the agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). First, they have been temporally and geographically coincident with the BSE epidemic. Secondly, in all the ungulates for which details are available, it is possible that either the affected animal itself, or the herd into which it was born or moved, had been exposed to proprietary feeds containing ruminant-derived protein or other potentially contaminated material, and all the carnivores had been fed parts of cattle carcases judged unfit for human consumption. Thirdly, the pathological results of inoculating mice with a homogenate of fixed brain tissue from the nyala and from one greater kudu were similar to the results of inoculating mice with BSE brain tissue.

Animal Diseases↗
PubMed1993

Spongiform encephalopathy in a herd of greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros): epidemiological observations.

A small herd of greater kudu, derived from three individuals, has been maintained at the Zoological Society of London since 1970. Spongiform encephalopathy has been diagnosed in five out of eight of the animals born in this herd since 1987. With the possible exception of the first confirmed case, none of these is thought to have been exposed to feeds containing ruminant-derived protein. The pattern of incidence suggests that greater kudu are very susceptible to the disease and that natural lateral transmission may have occurred among them.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Distribution of immunoreactive Tamm-Horsfall protein in various species in the vertebrate classes.

A sheep antibody to human Tamm-Horsfall protein, the major protein in normal urine, was used in an immunohistological study of organs of 48 species of vertebrate animals, representing the classes Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Amphibia, Osteichthyes and Chondrichthyes. Immunoreactivity was shown in the thick limb of the loop of Henle in the kidney of mammals, but there was no reactivity with tissues of birds or reptiles. Superficial layers of the skin of several amphibians and fish, superficial layers of the oral mucosa and gills of fish, and the distal tubules of the kidney of some amphibians, reacted with the antibody. Immunoreactivity with mammalian kidney was removed by passage of the antibody down an immunoadsorption column coated with human Tamm-Horsfall protein, and amphibian immunoreactivity was removed by incubation of the antibody with material prepared from frogs in the same way as Tamm-Horsfall protein. These findings suggest that immunoreactive Tamm-Horsfall protein appeared early in vertebrate phylogeny, initially in skin and gills and later in kidney, and that although conserved in evolution, it shows antigenic differences between amphibians and mammals. Its distribution is consistent with the hypothesis that is acts as a waterproofing agent.

Amphibians↗