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Biomedical subjects

D R Kerr

Publications and source records attributed to D R Kerr.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

The effects of intra-vestibular nucleus administration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on recovery from peripheral vestibular damage in guinea pig.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), at doses of 0.04, 0.4 or 4.0 microg/day, was delivered by cannula and s.c osmotic minipump into the ipsilateral vestibular nucleus complex from 0 to 50 h following unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) in guinea pigs. Compared to the vehicle control group, the frequency of spontaneous nystagmus was significantly reduced (p < 0.02) and the rate of yaw head tilt compensation increased (p < 0.02). However, roll head tilt was not signifcantly affected. There were also no significant effects of BDNF administration into the IVth ventricle (4.0 microg/day) on any UL symptom. These results further support the hypothesis that neurotrophins such as BDNF may enhance the vestibular compensation process.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of protein kinase activity and protein phosphorylation in the medial vestibular nucleus and prepositus hypoglossi in labyrinthine-intact and labyrinthectomized guinea pigs.

The aim of the present study was to compare in vitro protein expression, protein kinase activity and protein phosphorylation in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and prepositus hypoglossi (PH) from labyrinthine-intact guinea pigs and from guinea pigs at various stages of vestibular compensation following unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL). The ipsilateral (I-MVN) and contralateral (C-MVN) MVN, and the ipsilateral (I-PH) and contralateral (C-PH) PH, were dissected from 3 naive labyrinthine-intact guinea pigs and 55 guinea pigs at 10 hs or 53 hs following a surgical UL or sham operation. Tissue extracts were incubated with [gamma-33P]ATP+/-Ca2+, phorbol 12, 13 dibutyrate and phosphatidylserine or +/- Ca2+ and calmodulin, to enhance protein kinase C (PKC) or calcium calmodulin kinase (CaMK) activity, respectively. Data were analysed as the ratio of activated to basal 33P incorporation detected by phosphorimaging. There were similar total protein and phosphoprotein profiles in the MVN and PH, as well as both PKC and CaMKII activity, suggesting that the MVN and PH are similar in the way that proteins undergo rapid modification by phosphorylation. During the development of vestibular compensation, a 46 kDa band in C-PH displayed higher PKC-mediated phosphorylation from 10 hs post-UL compared to sham controls. Significantly greater PKC-mediated phosphorylation of proteins of approximately 18, 46 and 75 kDa was observed in C-PH at 10 hs compared to 53 hs post-UL and in most cases the phosphorylation was greater in C-PH than in the C-MVN. These results suggest that between 10 and 53 hs post-UL, PKC-mediated phosphorylation changes mainly in the C-PH rather than the ipsilateral or contralateral MVN.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Evidence that the ginkgo biloba extract, EGb 761, neither accelerates nor enhances the rapid compensation of the static symptoms of unilateral vestibular deafferentation in guinea pig.

The concentrated Ginkgo biloba extract, EGb 761, has previously been reported to enhance and accelerate vestibular compensation following unilateral vestibular deafferentation (UVD), in particular, compensation of the dynamic postural symptoms such as locomotor dysequilibrium. However, many of these studies have not included a complete analysis of the static symptoms of UVD, such as spontaneous nystagmus (SN), yaw head tilt (YHT), and roll head tilt (RHT), nor have they included a dose-response analysis or vehicle controls for EGb 761. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of the EGb 761 extract on static vestibular compensation in guinea pig, using a dose-response analysis and both vehicle and saline controls. Analysis of variance showed that there was a significant decrease in SN frequency (P < 0.05) and a significant change in the rate of SN compensation (P < 0.05), using 3 i.p. injections of EGb 761 (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg), or vehicle, or saline, at 0, 25, and 40 h post-UVD. However, post-hoc testing revealed that this was due entirely to significant differences between the saline and vehicle groups at 35, 40, and 50 h post-UVD (P < 0.05 in all cases) and between the saline and the 100 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg EGb 761 groups at 35 and 50 h post-UVD, respectively (P < 0.05 for both comparisons); there were no significant differences between the vehicle and drug groups at any time. YHT and RHT were not significantly different between the drug, saline, and vehicle groups. In a second set of experiments, the 50 and 100 mg/kg EGb 761 i.p. injection frequencies were doubled. However, once again, neither SN nor YHT were significantly different between the EGb 761 groups and the vehicle controls. These results suggest that 1) EGb 761 does not significantly enhance or accelerate compensation of the static symptoms of UVD in guinea pig and 2) the EGb 761 vehicle may exert some effects on its own. Therefore, EGb 761 may be of limited use in the treatment of acute vestibular dysfunction in humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Evidence for reduced nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the ipsilateral medial vestibular nucleus and bilateral prepositus hypoglossi following unilateral vestibular deafferentation in the guinea pig.

The aim of the present study was to examine, using a radioenzymatic assay technique, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the bilateral medial vestibular nuclei (MVN) and prepositus hypoglossi (PH), during the development of vestibular compensation for unilateral vestibular deafferentation (UVD) in the guinea pig. In the MVN ipsilateral to the UVD, and bilaterally in PH, NOS activity decreased following UVD compared to sham controls and did not recover significantly up to 50 h later, when a substantial degree of behavioural vestibular compensation had occurred. These results suggest that UVD causes a decrease in NOS activity in the ipsilateral MVN and the bilateral PH, and that a consequent decrease in NO may be responsible for some of the ocular motor and postural symptoms of UVD.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Survey of the causes of stroke among Mexican Americans in South Texas.

Management strategies for optimal stroke prevention depend on the cause of threatened stroke. We know relatively little about the etiology of stroke in Mexican Americans, who make up one quarter of the population in Texas. A retrospective case series of 159 consecutive patients hospitalized in San Antonio, Tex, for acute, first-ever stroke compared risk factors, features, and causes of stroke between Mexican Americans and whites. Mexican Americans who had strokes were significantly younger than whites and had diabetes mellitus more often. Intracerebral hemorrhage and lacunar infarcts occurred often in Mexican Americans. Ethnicity appeared to be an independent risk factor for lacunar infarction. Mortality and functional outcome at the time of hospital discharge were similar in Mexican Americans and whites. Intrinsic small-vessel disease causing lacunar infarcts and intracerebral hemorrhage accounts for about one half of strokes in Mexican Americans. Stroke among Mexican Americans in South Texas has a distinctive profile with implications for its prevention.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

A field investigation of the effects of bovine viral diarrhea virus infection around the time of insemination on the reproductive performance of cattle.

During a study of methods of synchronizing estrus in Bos indicus cattle, blood was collected from 169 heifers and 38 cows 2 to 3 days prior to artificial insemination (AI), and then again at Day 51 and Day 210 after AI to determine the incidence of infection with bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus. Prior to insemination 53 and 68% of the cows and heifers, respectively, were seronegative to the BVD virus. At Day 51 after AI, 70 and 32% of the seronegative cows and heifers, respectively, had seroconverted; but between Day 51 and Day 210, only 17 and 3% of the seronegative cows and heifers, respectively, had seroconverted. The Day- 51 pregnancy rate of cows which were immune (seropositive) to BVD virus infection at the time of AI was similar to the rate of the cows which became infected around the time of AI. However, the pregnancy rate of the immune heifers (44%, n=54) was significantly (P=0.04) greater than the rate of the heifers which became infected around the time of AI (24%, n=37). It was concluded that infection of susceptible females with BVD virus around the time of AI may significantly lower the pregnancy rate.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Prepatellar and olecranon arthroscopic bursectomy.

Arthroscopic resection of prepatellar and olecranon bursae is a technically feasible operation. It is not more difficult than removing synovium from the suprapatellar pouch of the knee. Although there have been complications, this procedure appears to avoid the problems about the wound described with the open excisional operations for chronic olecranon and prepatellar bursitis.

Arthroscopy↗
PubMed1992

Corticotropin and cortisol responses to corticotropin-releasing factor in the chronically hypoxemic ovine fetus.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine if mild hypoxemia (approximately 25% below normal) of at least 5 days' duration alters corticotropin and cortisol responses to corticotropin-releasing factor. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 14 (hypoxemic, n = 5; normoxemic, n = 9) fetuses of 135 +/- 1 (mean +/- SEM) days' gestational age. Fetuses were placed in the experimental group if arterial PO2 was < or = 16 mm Hg for 5 days. In normoxemic animals arterial PO2 was > or = 17 mm Hg. Plasma hormone responses were compared by analysis of variance. RESULTS: Resting corticotropin levels were not different (hypoxemic 26 +/- 5 pg/ml, normoxemic 29 +/- 12 pg/ml), and corticotropin-releasing factor (530 +/- 30 ng/kg) increased (p = 0.01) corticotropin levels similarly in both groups. Basal plasma cortisol levels (hypoxemic 20 +/- 10 ng/ml, normoxemic, 30 +/- 7 ng/ml) were not significantly different. Both groups had similarly increased (p < 0.01) plasma cortisol levels after corticotropin-releasing factor administration. CONCLUSION: Mild hypoxemia lasting 5 days does not significantly alter corticotropin and cortisol responses to corticotropin-releasing factor in the late-gestation ovine fetus.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1992

ACTH and cortisol responses to sequential CRF injections in fetal sheep.

To determine whether an initial ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (oCRF) injection modifies adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol responses to a second injection and to establish whether the effect changes throughout gestation, we studied chronically cannulated fetal lambs of 103-113 and 133-137 days gestation. Experimental groups underwent an injection (500 ng/kg iv) of oCRF, arterial blood sampling for 6 h, then a similar oCRF injection followed by sampling. In control studies, vehicle was the initial injection. After the first oCRF injection, plasma cortisol levels went from 1.7 +/- 0.4 to 9.5 +/- 5.2 (SE) ng/ml ("immature") and from 22.3 +/- 4.9 to 52.5 +/- 5.8 ng/ml ("mature"), remaining elevated for 6 h. In immature fetuses, the first oCRF injection did not alter the ACTH response to a second injection. Cortisol increases were reduced. In mature animals, ACTH and cortisol response to oCRF were eliminated by prior oCRF. Thus a large increase in cortisol after oCRF in mature fetuses is associated with inhibition of the ACTH response to a second oCRF injection, whereas in immature animals a small increase in cortisol after the first oCRF injection is not.

Adrenal Cortex↗
PubMed1992

ACTH and cortisol responses to hypotension in fetal sheep after a prior CRF injection.

To determine whether an ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (oCRF) injection modifies adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol responses to hypotension and whether the effect of any interactions between these stimuli changes across gestation, we studied chronically cannulated fetal lambs of 103-113 ("immature") and 133-139 days gestation ("mature"). Experimental groups received 500 ng/kg oCRF injections and 6 h later had arterial pressure reduced 20% for 10 min with nitroprusside. Blood samples were obtained before and after each manipulation. Controls received vehicle instead of oCRF. The oCRF increased plasma cortisol levels from 2.1 +/- 0.4 to 14.2 +/- 4.7 (SE) ng/ml in immature and 44.9 +/- 2.2 to 102.8 +/- 15 ng/ml in mature animals. In mature fetuses the oCRF did not alter plasma ACTH and cortisol increases due to hypotension. In immature animals ACTH increases were normal but cortisol increases were eliminated. This suggests that the CRF caused maximal stimulation of the adrenal gland. In older fetuses, it appears that the action of ACTH-releasing factors, secreted in response to arterial hypotension, can overcome the negative feedback effects of elevations in endogenous cortisol.

Adrenal Cortex↗
PubMed1991

Evaluation of three estrus synchronization regimens for use in extensively managed Bos indicus and Bos indicus/taurus heifers in Northern Australia.

Two herds of extensively managed yearling Bos indicus and Bos indicus x Bos taurus heifers (n=169) were assigned to one of three estrus synchronization treatment groups. The treatments consisted of 1) two injections of the prostaglandin (F2alpha) analogue, luprostiol (7.5 mg), given 12-d apart; 2) insertion of an intravaginal progesterone-releasing device (CIDR-B), followed by 400 IU i.m. pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) and 7.5 mg luprostinol at CIDR-B removal or 3) subcutaneous progestagen implant (SMB) for 10-d, followed by 400 IU i.m. and 7.5 mg i.m. luprostiol at implant removal. A dual tail paint-raddle system was used to evaluate response to treatment. Each treatment group was inseminated according to the manufacturer's recommendations for fixed-time artificial insemination (A.I.; luprostiol, 72 h after the second injection, SMB and CIDR-B 48h after implant/device removal). The overall 51-d pregnancy rates for the three treatments were 18.6% (luprostiol), 48.8% (CIDR-B), and 53.3% (SMB). There were significant differences in the pregnancy rate between CIDR-B and luprostiol (P=0.004) and between SMB and luprostiol (P=or<0.0001), but there was no difference in pregnancy rate between CIDR-B and SMB treatment.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1991

Age-dependent differences in active and inactive renin in the lamb fetus.

Most studies examining the developmental aspects of renin secretion in fetal lambs have focused on measurements of active renin. Data from these studies demonstrated age-dependent differences in renin release in vivo and in vitro. However, little information is available concerning gestational changes in total (active and inactive) renin. Therefore, we have measured the renin concentration in plasma, amniotic fluid and various tissues before and after trypsin treatment (for total renin) using 7 fetuses at 0.61-0.79 gestation (immature) and 7 fetuses at 0.88-0.97 gestation (mature). We found that active and total renin levels in plasma and kidney tissues were significantly lower in immature than in mature fetuses, while inactive renin levels were not different. We also found that the amniotic fluid, the adrenal gland, the placenta and membranes all contained low levels of active and total renin that were not different between groups. These results suggest that, over the last third of gestation, maturation influences the regulation of active renin in the kidney and plasma. The data also indicate that the renin concentration in the amniotic fluid, the adrenals, the placenta and membranes is regulated differently than that in the plasma and the kidney.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1990

Arthroscopic resection of olecranon and prepatellar bursae.

This article presents a new method of excision of olecranon and prepatellar bursae using an arthroscopic technique. Six cases, three in each anatomic location, are retrospectively reviewed with an average follow-up of 6.25 months (1.5-15 months). When the etiology of the bursitis was traumatic, all four cases did well. Unsatisfactory results were obtained, for both a patient with CREST syndrome (Calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, Esophageal hypomobility, Sclerodactyl, Telangietasia) and a patient with gouty bursitis. The results from this limited series would suggest reserving this technique for those cases of bursitis secondary to trauma, and not responding to conservative treatment.

Arthroscopy↗
PubMed1990

Renin secretion by fetal lamb kidneys in vitro.

We studied the content and secretion of renin by renal cortical slices obtained from ovine fetuses at 0.62-0.77 gestation (n = 5 immature) and at 0.84-1.00 gestation (n = 5 mature). Renin content of fresh slices and renin secretion after the incubation of slices in Robinson's medium with or without isoproterenol or dibutyryl (DB) adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) (10(-4)-10(-8) M) were measured. Renin content of immature fetal kidneys (ng.ml homogenate-1.h-1.mg-1) and basal renin secretion rate [ng (ANG I/h).mg tissue-1.h incubation-1] were 24.3 +/- 3.0 and 1.4 +/- 0.4, respectively. Both of these values were significantly lower (P less than 0.02) than the corresponding results obtained with mature fetal kidneys (67.0 +/- 4.5 and 3.4 +/- 0.5). Renin content and basal secretion rates were strongly correlated (r = 0.78, P less than 0.01). The addition of isoproterenol or DBcAMP induced a significant increase in renin secretion only when incubated with slices from mature fetuses. We conclude that there is a deficit in the beta-adrenoceptor-mediated renin release distal to cAMP formation in immature fetuses, which may be related to low renal content of renin at this stage of development.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1987

Interaction of N-acetylcysteine and bleomycin on hyperbaric oxygen-induced lung damage in mice.

Lung damage in mice exposed to hyperbaric oxygen was assessed by measurement of wet and dry lung weights. The clinically useful thiol compound, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which is known to maintain tissue levels of reduced glutathione, was found to protect lungs of mice compressed to 445 and 515 kPa oxygen for 30 min. NAC was administered intraperitoneally and the optimal conditions found to be 400 mg/kg 15 min-1 hr before compression. The antineoplastic agent bleomycin, which frequently causes life-threatening lung damage, was administered intratracheally (5 mg/kg), and potentiated lung damage caused by hyperbaric oxygen (445 kPa). NAC effectively protected the lungs of mice exposed to the combined deleterious effect of bleomycin and hyperbaric oxygen.

Acetylcysteine↗