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C Fitzgibbon

Publications and source records attributed to C Fitzgibbon.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Presence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in suspensions of ovine trichostrongylid larvae produced in faecal cultures artificially contaminated with the bacterium.

A reference strain of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis was added to faecal larval cultures of Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Samples of the larvae produced were cultured for the presence of the bacterium in modified BACTEC 12B medium, both before and after exposure to gamma irradiation. The water used to wash the larvae off the faecal cultures was also tested for the presence of the bacterium. Positive growth was confirmed as M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis by IS900 polymerase chain reaction and restriction endonuclease analysis of the product. M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis was detected in the unirradiated larval suspensions and wash waters of all three nematode species, and in the irradiated H. contortus larval suspension.

Animals↗

Imaging the ovine heparin-protamine interaction with 111In-protamine.

Protamine reversal of heparin anticoagulation occasionally induces the release of thromboxane into plasma with catastrophic pulmonary hypertension. To examine the site of neutralization, we labeled protamine sulfate with 111In and compared activity scans after administration of labeled protamine in unheparinized and heparin-anticoagulated sheep. Protamine administration in sheep without prior heparinization did not cause thromboxane release, pulmonary hypertension, or significant leukopenia, and 111In-protamine was rapidly cleared from the lungs (half time 0.48 +/- 0.08 min). Neutralization of heparin anticoagulation by labeled protamine produced elevated plasma thromboxane, pulmonary vasoconstriction, leukopenia, and prolonged pulmonary clearance of 111In-protamine (half time 3.32 +/- 0.43 min). In rats, protamine reversal of heparin anticoagulation did not induce either thromboxane synthesis or pulmonary hypertension, and 111In-protamine cleared rapidly from the lungs. Thus the ovine heparin-protamine reaction produces concomitant pulmonary sequestration of heparin-protamine complexes, thromboxane release, and pulmonary vasoconstriction; this did not occur in the rat. The lung specificity of the reaction and interspecies differences suggest that ovine pulmonary intravascular macrophages may be activated by heparin-protamine complexes to release thromboxane and provoke acute pulmonary vasoconstriction.

Animals↗

Effect of platelet depletion on lung vasoconstriction in heparin-protamine reactions.

In six awake sheep the control heparin-protamine reaction was associated with a 150-fold rise in arterial plasma thromboxane B2 (TxB2) levels, a 4.5-fold increase in pulmonary vascular resistance, a 20% decrease in cardiac output, a 30% decrease in arterial PO2, and a 30% reduction in arterial white blood cell concentrations. Depletion of 99% of circulating platelets by antibodies did not prevent either acute and severe pulmonary hypertension or increased plasma TxB2 levels induced by heparin-protamine administration. We produced sheep platelet aggregation in vitro with bovine thrombin and measured marked TxB2 release (36.3 +/- 16.3 ng/10(9) platelets). In contrast, neither heparin, protamine, nor heparin-protamine complexes over a 10,000-fold range of concentrations induced platelet aggregation and release of thromboxane in vitro. Therefore sheep platelets are not the source of thromboxane production associated with acute pulmonary hypertension during the heparin-protamine reaction, and other cells must produce the thromboxane.

Animals↗

Nafamstat mesilate attenuates pulmonary hypertension in heparin-protamine reactions.

Rapid protamine reversal of heparin anticoagulation in awake sheep caused, after 1 min, a approximately 15-fold increase of arterial plasma thromboxane B2 (TxB2) levels, a 4-fold rise of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), a 2-fold rise of pulmonary arterial pressure, and after 3 min, a 2-fold rise of ovine arterial plasma complement C3a levels (P less than 0.05). Infusion of nafamstat mesilate (FUT-175), a protease and complement pathway inhibitor, before protamine reduced these increases by approximately 60-90% (P less than 0.05). FUT-175 did not modify heparin + protamine-induced leukopenia, suggesting that FUT-175 incompletely blocked C5a production. We also learned that infusing protamine first and heparin 5 min later did not increase either plasma C3a or TxB2 levels or PVR while the activated clotting time increased only minimally. Thus, in awake sheep, the sequence of heparin and protamine infusion influences complement activation and pulmonary vasoconstriction. FUT-175 pretreatment reduces thromboxane release and pulmonary vasoconstriction probably by limiting complement activation.

Animals↗

Effects of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha, lymphotoxin, and Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide on hemodynamics, lung microvascular permeability, and eicosanoid synthesis in anesthetized sheep.

We infused recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha (rhTNF alpha), lymphotoxin (rhLT), and Escherichia coli 0111:B4 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into anesthetized sheep with a lung lymph fistula to compare their effects on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics, lung lymph dynamics, and eicosanoid release. rhTNF alpha (25-150 micrograms/kg, n = 6 sheep), but not rhLT (25 micrograms/kg, n = 3), rapidly increased lung lymph and plasma levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-k-PGF1 alpha) and caused profound systemic vasodilation and hypotension. Meclofenamate pretreatment (10 mg/kg) of three other sheep given 25 micrograms/kg rhTNF alpha prevented the increase of lymph and plasma 6-k-PGF1 alpha levels, systemic vasodilation, and the early (less than 2 hrs) but not the late (4-6 hours) hypotension caused by rhTNF alpha. LPS (1 micrograms/kg, n = 11) induced a briefer increase of lymph 6-k-PGF1 alpha levels than did rhTNF alpha while plasma 6-k-PGF1 alpha levels did not increase. LPS induced more gradual hypotension than did rhTNF alpha but did not cause systemic vasodilation. LPS and rhTNF alpha, but not rhLT, increased lymph thromboxane B2 (TXB2) levels during the first hour of study, whereas only LPS acutely increased plasma TXB2 levels. LPS caused acute pulmonary vasoconstriction and greater acute pulmonary artery hypertension than did either rhTNF alpha or rhLT. Whereas LPS-treated sheep required less fluid transfusion than rhTNF alpha-treated sheep to maintain mean systemic arterial pressure greater than 50 mm Hg, LPS infusion caused a greater increase of lung lymph protein clearance. rhTNF alpha caused minimal alterations of lung microvascular permeability. We conclude that eicosanoid mediators contribute importantly to differences of systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics caused by these agents in sheep. rhTNF alpha cannot account for all of the LPS-induced hemodynamic, lung lymph, and eicosanoid responses in sheep.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Factors associated with surfactant treatment response in infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome.

In a prospective, randomized study of 18 infants treated with bovine surfactant (surfactant TA, Tokyo Tanabe Co, Tokyo) for severe respiratory distress syndrome, a lasting response was found in 12 infants (66%), a transient response was found in two (11%), and no response was found in four (22%) when arterial to alveolar PO2 ratios were used to define responses during the first 48 hours after treatment. In contrast, three of 23 control infants (13%) had a transient or lasting "response" to sham treatment (Pediatrics 1987;79:31-37). To determine whether maldistribution of surfactant could explain lack of response or a transient response, surfactant TA was mixed with technetium-99m sulfur colloid (approximately 300 mu Ci per infant), and eight infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome were treated six to 58 hours after birth. Scintigraphy of the lungs was performed three to 15 hours after treatment. Although a lasting response was observed in three infants, a transient one in three, and no response in two, no gross maldistribution of the radioactive label was found. Either lung received from 37% to 62% of the total radioactivity. During the past 3 years, in all infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome who were treated with surfactant (n = 29), poor or transient responses were associated with early patent ductus arteriosus and air leaks (pulmonary interstitial emphysema and pneumothoraces). Pathophysiologic conditions associated with respiratory distress syndrome are more likely to explain suboptimal responses after surfactant treatment than gross maldistribution of surfactant in the lungs.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Comparison of ultrashort-lived iridium-191m with technetium-99m for first pass radionuclide angiocardiographic evaluation of right and left ventricular function in adults.

Ultrashort-lived iridium-191m (Ir-191m, physical half-life = 5.0 seconds) has been used in angiocardiography, primarily in pediatric patients. A theoretical obstacle to more widespread use of Ir-191m is the belief that its physical half-life is too short to permit evaluation of left ventricular function in adult patients. To evaluate its usefulness in adults, first pass ejection fractions of the left and right ventricles determined with use of Ir-191m and technetium-99m (Tc-99m) were compared in 33 adult patients. An osmium-191m----iridium-191m (Os-191----Ir-191m) generator was employed to deliver doses of 150 to 250 mCi (5.5 to 9.2 GBq) of Ir-191m for intravenous injection. The whole body radiation absorbed dose with Ir-191m was 15 to 25 mrad. High quality angiocardiograms were obtained with both Tc-99m and Ir-191m. Total counts per image for the right ventricle were 51,000 +/- 8,000 (mean +/- SD) for Ir-191m and 30,000 +/- 8,000 for Tc-99m. The left ventricular counts were comparable for both radiotracers (25,000 +/- 7,000 for Ir-191m and 25,000 +/- 8,000 for Tc-99m). Right ventricular ejection fractions were similar: 44 +/- 8% for Ir-191m and 47 +/- 9% for Tc-99m. The correlation coefficient was 0.93 with a standard deviation of the regression of 3.1% ejection fraction units. The left ventricular ejection fractions were also similar: 45 +/- 14% for Ir-191m and 46 +/- 13% for Tc-99m. The left ventricular ejection fraction correlation coefficient was 0.96 with a standard deviation of the regression of 3.7%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Molecular genetic and morphological analyses of the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus).

African wild dog populations have declined precipitously during the last 100 years in eastern Africa. The possible causes of this decline include a reduction in prey abundance and habitat; disease; and loss of genetic variability accompanied by inbreeding depression. We examined the levels of genetic variability and distinctiveness among populations of African wild dogs using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction site and sequence analyses and multivariate analysis of cranial and dental measurements. Our results indicate that the genetic variability of eastern African wild dog populations is comparable to that of southern Africa and similar to levels of variability found in other large canids. Southern and eastern populations of wild dogs show about 1% divergence in mtDNA sequence and form two monophyletic assemblages containing three mtDNA genotypes each. No genotypes are shared between the two regions. With one exception, all wild dogs examined from zoos had southern African genotypes. Morphological analysis supports the distinction of eastern and southern African wild dog populations, and we suggest they should be considered separate subspecies. An eastern African wild dog breeding program should be initiated to ensure preservation of the eastern African form and to slow the loss of genetic variability that, while not yet apparent, will inevitably occur if wild populations continue to decline. Finally, we examined the phylogenetic relationships of wild dogs to other wolf-like canids through analysis of 736 base pairs (bp) of cytochrome b sequence and showed wild dogs to belong to a phylogenetically distinct lineage of the wolf-like canids.

Africa, Eastern↗

Learning to let go.

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Adaptation, Psychological↗