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Biomedical subjects

A C Winter

Publications and source records attributed to A C Winter.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Experiences of University of Liverpool veterinary students during the 2001 epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease.

The 2001 epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease disrupted the teaching of practical farm animal work for much of that year. Many students in their clinical years in the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool, went to help to control the disease, both in place of some normal term-time activities and as part of their extramural studies out of term time. This paper, which is based on a questionnaire survey of the students, describes their experiences, the types of work they did, the skills they acquired and their views on the effects of the epidemic on their studies. The vast majority of students felt they had benefited from their experiences and had contributed to combating the epidemic.

Animals↗

Incidence and risk factors for hyponatraemia following treatment with fluoxetine or paroxetine in elderly people.

AIMS: To establish the incidence, time course and risk factors of hyponatraemia complicating treatment with fluoxetine or paroxetine in an elderly population. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive and case control study in an inpatient/outpatient assessment and rehabilitation service for people aged 65 years and over. Fourteen elderly patients with hyponatraemia complicating treatment with fluoxetine or paroxetine, matched with 56 controls drawn from 845 patients treated with fluoxetine or paroxetine over 3.5 years. No other SSRI antidepressants were used over the study period. RESULTS: The incidence of hyponatraemia was 4.7/1000 people treated/year (6.3/1000 for fluoxetine and 3.5/1000 for paroxetine). Hyponatraemia was detected at a median 13.5 (mean 18.6, range 4-64) days after commencing the drug. Mean (95% confidence intervals) body weights were lower in cases at 53.0 (95% CI 46.5-59.5) kg compared with controls at 64.5 (95% CI 60.1-68.4) kg (P<0.01). 71% of cases were women compared with 45% of controls (P=0.07) but the effect of gender was confounded by body weight. There were trends for cases to be older (odds ratio 1.10: 95% CI 0.99, 1.23) and lighter (odds ratio 0.92, 95% CI 0.86, 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 1 in 200 elderly people treated per year with fluoxetine or paroxetine developed complicating hyponatraemia. Low body weight was a particular risk factor. Most cases occurred within 3 weeks of treatment.

Aged↗

Farm investigations of anaemia in lambs caused by feeding cow colostrum.

The deaths on nine farms of lambs which had been fed cow colostrum as a substitute for ewe colostrum were investigated. Of 105 lambs which received cow colostrum, 65 (61.9 per cent) showed clinical signs of anaemia and 42 (40 per cent) died. The signs of anaemia usually appeared when the lambs were between eight and 12 days old. The most significant post mortem finding was the appearance of the bone marrow which was cream or grey rather than the normal bright red. The types of treatment which were given are summarised. Whey from samples of the colostrum fed to the lambs was tested for its effect on sheep red blood cells. Haemolysis or agglutination of the red cells occurred with some, though not all, of the samples which caused anaemia.

Anemia↗

Observations on the genital tract of cull ewes.

Genital tracts were collected from non-pregnant cull ewes in early April and examined for macroscopic abnormalities. An assessment was made of the possible effect of any abnormality on the ability of the animal to become pregnant. It was found that 23.2 per cent of the tracts had abnormalities and it was considered that 16.8 per cent had abnormalities likely to interfere with the establishment of pregnancy.

Animals↗

Toxoplasmosis in a flock of sheep: some investigations into its source and control.

Toxoplasmosis was thought to be a minor problem on a lowland sheep farm purchasing some 200 ewe lambs annually. Serological investigations and production records suggested a more substantial problem with most of the ewe lambs seroconverting during their first pregnancy, many while still at grass and receiving no supplementary food. Only 60 live lambs were produced per 100 ewe lambs tupped. It was known that cats occasionally inhabited the sheep houses, from which straw bedding was spread onto the pastures after lambing. Trials over two years with ewe lambs grazing either 'clean' or 'dirty' pastures indicated that the straw bedding was the most likely source of infection. Serial serological studies not only defined the time of infection but also showed that the ewe lambs could be kept free of infection and produce more live lambs; 58 live births came from 81 'clean' ewe lambs compared with 21 from 50 'dirty' ewe lambs.

Animals↗

Embryo transfer in sheep under practice conditions.

Embryo transfer was carried out on nine Texel donor ewes, one of them on two occasions, over two breeding seasons (1980 and 1981). The donors were prepared for superovulation on the farm by two different regimens and the recipients were also synchronised on the farm of origin. Surgery was carried out on donors and recipients at a veterinary practice and the techniques of anaesthesia, surgery and embryo transfer are described. Superovulation was variable and more than two ovulations were seen in only four of the 10 ewes. Forty-one corpora lutea were produced by the 10 ewes and 27 embryos were recovered. Twenty-one embryos were transferred to recipients and 14 lambs were produced. All the 10 donors except one produced lambs themselves. The value, economics and welfare aspects of the technique of embryo transfer under practice conditions are discussed and it is concluded that the procedure should not be carried out routinely but reserved for special circumstances.

Animals↗