Biomedical subjects

J Wilcock

Publications and source records attributed to J Wilcock.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, Ichthyophonus hoferi, and other causes of morbidity in Pacific herring Clupea pallasi spawning in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA.

Pacific herring Clupea pallasi populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA, declined from an estimated 9.8 x 10(7) kg in 1992 to 1.5 x 10(7) kg in 1994. To determine the role of disease in population decline, 233 Pacific herring from Prince William Sound were subjected to complete necropsy during April 1994. The North American strain of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) was isolated from 11 of 233 fish (4.7%). VHSV was significantly related to myocardial mineralization, hepatocellular necrosis, submucosal gastritis, and meningoencephalitis. Ichthyophonus hoferi infected 62 of 212 (29%) fish. I. hoferi infections were associated with severe, disseminated, granulomatous inflammation and with increased levels of plasma creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). I. hoferi prevalence in 1994 was more than double that of most previous years (1989 to 1993). Plasma chemistry values significantly greater (p < 0.01) in males than females included albumin, total protein, cholesterol, chloride, glucose, and potassium; only alkaline phosphatase was significantly greater in females. Hypoalbuminemia was relatively common in postspawning females; other risk factors included VHSV and moderate or severe focal skin reddening. Pacific herring had more than 10 species of parasites, but they were not associated with significant lesions. Two of the parasites have not previously been described: a renal intraductal myxosporean (11% prevalence) and an intestinal coccidian (91% prevalence). Transmission electron microscopy of a solitary mesenteric lesion revealed viral particles consistent with lymphocystis virus. No fish had viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN). Prevalence of external gross lesions and major parasites was not related to fish age, and fish that were year-lings at the time of the 1989 'Exxon Valdez' oil spill (1988 year class) had no evidence of increased disease prevalence.

Aging↗

PubMed1997

The cost of health care for HIV-positive patients.

Utilizing a prospective study of health service activity for HIV/AIDS, 2 estimates of hospital costs of care analysed with reference to gender, risk activity, immunological and clinical staging (1987 definition of AIDS) were undertaken. Utilizing combined costs per life year (based on hospital and hospice activity but not primary and community care) the ratio of costs for CD4 < 200 and CD4 > 200 was for most risk groups between 2-5:1 whilst for AIDS: pre-AIDS it was between 3.6-8.3:1 except for homosexuals where it was 12.6:1. A comparison of the standard hospital costs for infectious diseases with the published accounts for clinical AIDS care in Lothian suggests a 3-4-fold underestimate in the costs of providing a comprehensive health care service.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1997

Hospital and hospice resource use of HIV-positive patients in Edinburgh.

A prospective study of health service and hospice resource utilization (average length of stay or ALOS, discharge rate, bed day use, outpatient consultation) analysed with reference to gender, risk activity, immunological and clinical staging (1987 definition of AIDS) for the financial year 1992-93 was undertaken at the Regional Infectious Disease Unit (RIDU), City Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland where 72% of 513 patients were infected via injection drug use. Not surprising therefore overall, drug users were the heaviest users of the inpatient facilities (74% of the discharges and 65% of the bed days) although homosexuals had the highest discharge rate (114 per 100 person years) and rate of bed day use (1654 days per 100 person years). Immunodeficiency (CD4 count < 200 cells/ul) and a clinical diagnosis of AIDS were both associated with greater inpatient and outpatient resource use compared to those without immunodeficiency (CD4 count > or = 200 CD4 cells/ul) or AIDS. Gender effects were complex; the ALOS for women was increased for all risk groups whatever the CD4 count whilst there was no consistent trend of more resource use for women by risk group. Drug users were the heaviest overall users of the local hospice (84% of all admissions, 83% of the bed days and a discharge rate of 76.4 per 100 person years), more than double the rates experienced by the other risk groups. Thus both clinical and immunological staging (AIDS or a CD4 count < 200 cells/ul) were associated with increased resource use in HIV infection and estimates of resource use for AIDS need to be increased by around one-third to take into account hospice use. Despite the preponderance of drug users in Edinburgh, comparisons with other centres did not reveal increased resource use.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1981

Analysis of two-way escape-avoidance conditioning measures from a diallel cross of eight strains of rats.

In a study designed to investigate genotype-environment interaction, eight strains of laboratory rats were crossbred in a replicated diallel cross employing infantile stimulation and its absence as environmental treatments. This paper reports on measures of the acquisition of two-way escape-avoidance conditioning, comprising number of avoidances, avoidance and escape latencies, and intertrial and presessional crossings, which were subjected to biometrical genetical analysis, all but the last successfully. Additive variation was prominent throughout and some measures showed directional dominance. Effects of stimulation were seen in avoidance number and crossings. The analysis of avoidances by successive blocks of trials using covariance:variance graphs revealed differences in the way the strains varied with respect to the changing relationships of proportions of dominant and recessive alleles governing this behavior. The results are discussed in the light of previous data and of their evolutionary implications.

Animals↗

PubMed1974