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Biomedical subjects

K M Knox

Publications and source records attributed to K M Knox.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Acute phase proteins in cattle: discrimination between acute and chronic inflammation.

Acute phase proteins such as serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein have been identified as markers of inflammation in cattle because they are produced by the liver in response to pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study was designed to assess whether they could be used to discriminate between acute and chronic inflammation. Their concentrations were measured in serum samples from 81 cattle in which inflammation was classified by thorough clinical examination, supported by postmortem findings, as being acute in severity in 31 and chronic in 50. The classical haematological markers of inflammation were also determined in blood from the animals. Serum amyloid A had a maximum (100 per cent) clinical sensitivity in discriminating between the acute and chronic cases, and haptoglobin had the highest clinical specificity of 76 per cent; counts of neutrophils and band neutrophils had sensitivities of 71 per cent and 42 per cent and specificities of 30 per cent and 72 per cent, respectively. It was concluded that serum amyloid A and haptoglobin may be used to discriminate between acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

Application of probability techniques to the objective interpretation of veterinary clinical biochemistry data.

Methods for the interpretation of veterinary clinical biochemistry have not developed as rapidly as biochemical technology. However, the results of clinical biochemistry tests are only of value when they are interpreted appropriately. A retrospective study was undertaken to investigate the equine biochemistry data which had been stored in a veterinary hospital database. By applying percentile analysis and Bayesian probability methods to the clinical biochemistry and corresponding diagnosis data, a novel method for the interpretation of clinical biochemistry data has been developed. The method allows clinicians to determine whether a biochemistry value is abnormal, its degree of abnormality, and the most likely associated diagnoses. The method could be used to investigate a practice-based population and may have significant implications for the interpretation of clinical biochemistry data in veterinary medicine in the future.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Objective interpretation of bovine clinical biochemistry data: application of Bayes law to a database model.

With the advent of animal-side biochemistry analysers in veterinary practice, the requirement for ready access to reliable means for interpretation of the results is of increasing importance. At the University of Glasgow Veterinary School (GUVS), a large computerised hospital database containing extensive clinical, laboratory, and pathological information has been maintained. A retrospective study was undertaken to investigate plasma biochemistry results and corresponding post mortem diagnosis data from 754 unwell cattle which had presented to GUVS over the study period. Initial analysis of the clinical biochemistry data from this unwell population revealed that the parameters did not follow a normal distribution. This finding suggested that the accepted reference range method for the interpretation of clinical biochemistry data may provide limited information about the unwell animal. By applying a combination of percentile analysis and conditional probability techniques to the hospital data, the development of a means of clinical biochemistry interpretation was developed whereby a clinician could determine whether a value was abnormal, the degree of abnormality, and the most likely associated diseases. For example, a urea value of 30 mmol/l lay within the top 5% of results, and one of the most common diseases associated with this urea value was pyelonephritis. Furthermore, a Bayesian approach allowed the quantification of the relationship between any plasma biochemistry value and disease through the generation of a ratio termed the 'biochemical factor'. Using the same example, given a urea value of 30 mmol/l, pyelonephritis was eight times more likely than before any biochemistry information was known. The results from the study were used to form the basis of a software system which may ultimately be used by the clinical to aid in the recognition, treatment and prevention of disease in the veterinary domain.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Energy costs of walking on a dual-action treadmill in men and women.

The physiological responses of normal walking and walking on a dual action treadmill which incorporates arm exercise were compared in 29 men and 37 women. Subjects completed six, 5-min steady-state exercises at 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 mph (0.89, 1.34, 1.79 m.s-1) and 3% incline with and without arms. Estimated METs calculated according to the ACSM equations were compared with the actual METs. The men's ventilation (VE), and VO2 (l.min-1, ml.kg-1.min-1, and METs) were significantly (P < 0.001) higher at all speeds and for both conditions than the women's. There were no gender differences (P > 0.05) in heart rates (HR), respiratory exchange ratio, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) for each condition. The arm conditions yielded significantly (P < 0.001) higher responses at each speed for VE, l.min-1, ml.kg-1.min-1, METs, RPE, and HR. Although there were no significant (P < 0.05) differences in HR between men and women for each condition, the relationships between ml.kg-1.min-1 and HR differed. The actual METs obtained during the arm conditions were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those estimated for both the men and women at all speeds. It was concluded that using the arms while walking on a dual action treadmill increases the energy costs an average of 55% above normal walking.

Adolescent↗