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Biomedical subjects

F Jackson

Publications and source records attributed to F Jackson.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Development of immunity to incoming radiolabelled larvae in lambs continuously infected with Ostertagia circumcincta.

Infective larvae of Ostertagia circumcincta were radiolabelled with 75selenium by a method which did not affect their viability. Three groups of five-month-old lambs were infected daily with 1000 unlabelled infective larvae for four, eight and 12 weeks, respectively. After each period one of these groups and a group of worm-free controls were challenged with three consecutive daily doses of 1000 radiolabelled third stage larvae. The lambs were killed 13 days after the first dose of challenge larvae and their worm burdens examined. The first indication of immunity was retardation of developing worms observed at four weeks. Resistance to the establishment of incoming worms developed between four and eight weeks and a brief period of population turnover probably took place at this time. Simultaneously a greater inhibition of worm development occurred resulting in an increase in the number of parasites recovered as early fourth stage larvae. By 12 weeks the animals were almost completely immune to incoming worms. The development of resistance to incoming worms correlated with a rise in serum antibody titre and an increase in the number of intraepithelial globule leucocytes in the gastric mucosa.

Animals↗

Development of immunity to incoming radiolabelled larvae in lambs continuously infected with Trichostrongylus vitrinus.

Infective third stage larvae (L3) of Trichostrongylus vitrinus were radiolabelled with 75 selenium by a method which did not affect their viability. Three groups of six-month-old lambs were infected daily with 1000 L3 for four, eight and 12 weeks, respectively. After each period, one of those groups (n = 5) and a group (n = 4) of worm-free controls were challenged with three consecutive daily doses of 1000 radiolabelled L3, killed 10 days after the first dose, and their worm burdens examined. After four weeks of continuous infection partial immunity to the establishment of challenge L3 was apparent, and by eight and 12 weeks, with the exception of one sheep, there was almost total resistance to incoming worms. Immunity was also expressed as an inhibition of the development of established worms.

Animals↗

Susceptibility of the pre-parturient ewe to infection with Trichostrongylus vitrinus and Ostertagia circumcincta.

During two successive years, groups of pregnant ewes and non-pregnant worm-free sheep were given anthelmintic, challenged one week later with 10,000 infective larvae of either Trichostrongylus vitrinus or Ostertagia circumcincta and killed two, four and six weeks after challenge. All of the ewes were killed within three days of their predicted lambing date. There was no annual variation in the response of the ewes to infection with either species. Compared to adult naive animals, ewes expressed resistance to infection with T vitrinus at all times, with significantly lower worm burdens composed largely of inhibited third stage larvae. Ewes challenged with O circumcincta were fully as susceptible as naive animals with regard to the size and stage of development of their worm populations. Mechanisms regulating the numbers of adult O circumcincta were operative in the adult naive animals but not in the ewes.

Animals↗

Influence of two levels of concurrent infection with Ostertagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus vitrinus on the growth performance of lambs.

Groups of seven lambs were infected on five days each week for 11 weeks with either 1000 or 2000 Trichostrongylus vitrinus larvae alone or concurrently with 1500 or 2500 Ostertagia circumcincta larvae and their growth performance compared to that of worm-free controls. The cumulative liveweight gain of the infected groups was significantly lower than that of the controls but the gain of the concurrently infected lambs did not differ significantly from the respective T vitrinus group. There were no significant differences in the numbers of T vitrinus or O circumcincta recovered from the single and concurrently infected groups, although there was a tendency for lower mean T vitrinus burdens at the higher level of ostertagia/trichostrongylus infection. The distribution of T vitrinus along the small intestine was similar in single and concurrently infected lambs. The reason for the lack of a marked additive effect on growth rate with concurrent infection is discussed in relation to changes in the concentration of two plasma constituents and lesions in the gastrointestinal tract.

Animals↗

Nematodirus infection in lambs on an alternate grazing system of husbandry.

The epidemiology of Nematodirus battus infection under a husbandry system based on an annual alternation of sheep and cattle was studied from 1983 to 1985. Pasture larval levels and sheep and cattle worm egg outputs were monitored from April to September each year. The level of N battus contamination on the sheep pasture and the number of clinically affected lambs increased over the three years despite grazing with cattle in the intervening year. Examination of cattle faeces demonstrated that six-month-old calves excreted moderate numbers of N battus eggs in June and July, thus contaminating next season's sheep grazing.

Animal Husbandry↗

Immune exclusion of Haemonchus contortus larvae in sheep: dose dependency, steroid sensitivity and persistence of the response.

Naive and immune sheep, treated with anthelmintic, challenged directly into the abomasum and killed 48 hours later were used to examine the steroid sensitivity, persistence and dose dependency of immune mechanisms which result in the failure of incoming Haemonchus contortus larvae to establish (immune exclusion). Immune exclusion was almost totally abolished by corticosteroid treatment, the mean percentage of larvae establishing in the mucosa of immune sheep was 1.4 per cent of the challenge infection whereas in those treated with dexamethasone it was 24.4 per cent and in naive sheep 27.3 per cent. Immune animals challenged after seven and 42 days without antigenic experience excluded more than 90 per cent of the challenge larvae from their mucosae, whereas those challenged after 84 days without antigenic experience were as susceptible as naive animals. Immune exclusion was dose dependent, animals challenged with 10(6) and 10(5) larvae excluded 93 per cent and 82.5 per cent of the challenge dose whereas those challenged with 10(4) larvae failed to exclude larvae.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Systemic release of a mast cell proteinase following nematode infections in sheep.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for sheep mast cell proteinase (SMCP) has been developed. Concentrations of SMCP in homogenates of abomasal tissue from parasite-immune sheep (341 micrograms SMCP/g tissues) were raised when compared to those in normal (non-infected) abomasa (0.145 micrograms SMCP/g tissue). SMCP was not detected in sera from normal animals challenged with Haemonchus contortus but was present (less than 1.0 ng SMCP/ml) in sera from 8/11 immune sheep 2 h after intra-abomasal challenge with 1 x 10(6) exsheathed Haemonchus larvae. In two further experiments, the SMCP response in gastric lymph was monitored after homologous larval challenge in sheep immune to Ostertagia circumcincta and in normal controls. SMCP (less than 1.4 ng SMCP/ml) was detected in lymph from 2/3 and 4/5 immune animals between 1 and 4 days post-challenge with 50,000 larvae, but not from normal animals. SMCP was not detected in lymph from immune animals following challenge with 1000 Ostertagia larvae. The relatively low concentrations of SMCP in blood and lymph reflect the presence of proteinase inhibitor(s) which interfered with the ELISA.

Abomasum↗

Mucosal IgA production and lymph cell traffic following prolonged low level infections of Ostertagia circumcincta in sheep.

Some aspects of the local immune response to daily challenge with 2000 Ostertagia circumcincta larvae were studied by monitoring changes in the composition of gastric lymph of naive and previously infected sheep. The main changes in the naive group were increases in lymphoblast output and concentrations of pepsinogen whereas lymph albumin values decreased markedly and IgA concentrations were usually unchanged. In contrast, in the previously infected sheep, the continuous challenge stimulated only transient increases in lymphoblast and IgA containing cell traffic whereas lymph IgA and pepsinogen concentrations remained elevated throughout the experiment. By temporarily interrupting the challenge in a second group of previously infected sheep it was shown that elevated IgA and pepsinogen values were maintained only if larval intake was continuous.

Abomasum↗

Prescribing postpartum iron supplementation: a survey of practicing obstetricians.

Supplemental iron (excluding the amount in prenatal vitamins) is routinely recommended post partum by standard obstetric textbooks. We surveyed practicing obstetricians in Maryland to examine their indications for and prescription of postpartum iron supplements. The survey was returned by 201 physicians (33% response rate). Iron was prescribed by 25% of the physicians always, 12% never, and 63% depending upon the patient. An average of 37% of postpartum patients were given iron. The most frequently cited indication for prescribing iron was the postpartum hematocrit level (used by 90% of the physicians), followed by high blood loss (41%), operative delivery (15%), mean corpuscular volume (12%), and toxemia (9%). The postpartum iron dosage (325 mg) was prescribed as a single daily dose by 22%, twice daily by 37%, and three times daily by 32%. These practices do not correspond to the current recommendation that postpartum iron should always be prescribed.

Decision Making↗

Effect of concurrent infection with Ostertagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus vitrinus on the performance of lambs.

The interaction between Ostertagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus vitrinus was investigated in lambs continuously infected over 12 weeks. Four groups of seven lambs were given either zero, 1000 T vitrinus larvae per day, 2500 O circumcincta larvae per day or infected concurrently. Overall liveweight gain was reduced by 17, 20 and 30 per cent in T vitrinus, O circumcincta and concurrent infection, respectively. T vitrinus infection significantly lowered serum phosphorus concentrations by week 4. In the concurrent infection the decline in phosphorus concentration was more gradual and only differed significantly from the controls during the final four weeks of the trial. There were no significant differences between the total numbers of T vitrinus or O circumcincta recovered from single or combined infections. The lack of an additive effect on performance may be due to a delayed establishment of T vitrinus in the presence of O circumcincta.

Animals↗

Computer assisted tomography of the apophyseal changes in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

We have examined the appearances by computed tomography of the apophyseal joints in 28 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), as well as in 10 patients with noninflammatory lumbar disease. The number of changes noted in the apophyseal joints in each patient correlated significantly with the degree of restriction of spinal flexion seen (p = 0.002), but did not correlate with the clinical duration of disease (p greater than 0.2). No specific abnormalities were seen in patients with AS that were not also noted in the non-AS subjects.

Adult↗

Transfer of immunity to Ostertagia circumcincta and IgA memory between identical sheep by lymphocytes collected from gastric lymph.

Sheep rendered immune to Ostertagia circumcincta were challenged with 50,000 larvae and lymphocytes were collected from the gastric lymph up to eight days after challenge. The cells were transferred intravenously to genetically identical worm-free sheep which, together with controls, were challenged with 50,000 larvae and killed nine days later. Cells obtained during the donors lymphoblast response to challenge transferred partial immunity, measured either as stunting or loss of worms. Significantly less immunity was transferred by cells collected either before or after this response. Thus the responding cells can mediate protective immunity to O circumcincta. On the other hand the donor sheep remained immune to their challenge infection despite being depleted of these functional cells, showing that their presence was not essential for immunity to be maintained. Comparison of the immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations in the gastric lymph of recipient and control sheep showed that a local IgA response had also been transferred. Enumeration of mucosal mast cells suggested that a mastocytosis had been transferred to the two recipients which were most immune to challenge.

Animals↗

Independent co-release of acetylcholine and somatostatin from cardiac vagal neurones in toad.

Vagal postganglionic neurones in toad (Bufo marinus) cause cardio-inhibition by releasing both acetylcholine and somatostatin. In isolated, electrically paced, toad atria, intracardiac neurones were stimulated by short bursts of high-voltage pulses applied during the atrial refractory period. Treatment with hemicholinium-3 (5 X 10(-4) M) for 5 h eliminated most of the acetylcholine-mediated cardio-inhibition but did not inhibit somatostatin-mediated transmission. It is concluded that somatostatin release does not depend on the simultaneous release of acetylcholine.

Acetylcholine↗

Age immunity to Ostertagia circumcincta: comparison of the local immune responses of 4 1/2- and 10-month-old lambs.

In 2 experiments, the local immune response to infection with 50,000 O. circumcincta was monitored in 4 1/2-month-old previously infected lambs by following changes in the composition of gastric lymph. The previously infected lambs were partially resistant to the challenge in that they harboured a greater proportion of early fourth stage parasites and that the developing larvae recovered from them were distinctly shorter than those present in controls. They also exhibited a secondary local immune response in the gastric lymph consisting of increases in the output of lymphoblasts and IgA cells which peaked 3 to 5 days after challenge, followed by increases in lymph IgA and IgA anti-larval antibody on days 6 and 7. The size of the total IgA response in a sheep was highly correlated with the degree of stunting of its larvae, suggesting that IgA antibody can reduce the growth of developing Ostertagia. When compared with the results of 2 identically designed experiments carried out previously in 10-month-old sheep, the younger lambs were measurably less resistant to challenge and most aspects of the magnitude of the local immune response were significantly depressed, although the timing of the response was similar. It is suggested that this poorly developed ability to mount a secondary mucosal immune response may explain the relative failure of the younger lamb to develop resistance to gastro-intestinal nematodes.

Aging↗