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Biomedical subjects

M F Palmer

Publications and source records attributed to M F Palmer.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

A comparative investigation and identification of Leptospira interrogans serogroup icterohaemorrhagiae strains by monoclonal antibody and DNA fingerprint analyses.

The identification of Leptospira interrogans icterohaemorrhagiae strains from a number of Reference Laboratories were confirmed using monoclonal antibody (MoAb) and DNA restriction endonuclease (EcoR1) analyses. With a few exceptions, strain fidelity was demonstrated. Three clinical isolates and one isolate from a rat (Rattus norvegicus) were identified on DNA fragment patterns and found to be similar to the reference strains, icterohaemorrhagiae copenhageni, I. "icterohaemorrhagiae" Ictero I and I. icterohaemorrhagiae RGA.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Anticardiolipin antibodies in leptospirosis.

The clinical course and serology of 16 cases of leptospirosis in an area with an unusually high endemic infection rate were studied to gain further insight into the pathology of the secondary immune phase that is typical of the disease. IgG anticardiolipin antibody concentrations were measured by immunoassay and found to be increased in eight serologically confirmed cases with severe complicated disease, compared with eight patients with relatively uncomplicated leptospirosis who had IgG anticardiolipin concentrations within the control reference range. This previously unreported association suggests that leptospira may induce vascular endothelial injury in severe cases and expose crypt antigens or induce conformational change of cell surface phospholipids. Leptospirosis may provide a model for an infective origin of some cases of the antiphospholipid syndrome.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1987

Comparison of the DIFCO and Patoc 1 slide antigens in the screening of leptospirosis.

A comparison of the Patoc 1 slide agglutination (SAT) and DIFCO slide agglutination test for the screening of leptospirosis in man, cattle and coypu (Myocastor coypus Molina) is reported. The economic costs, convenience and availability of the antigens for the tests are analysed. It is recommended that slide agglutination methods alone are not sufficient for the routine diagnosis of leptospirosis.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1987

A comparison of live and formalised leptospiral microscopic agglutination test.

The sensitivity and reliability of a formalised leptospiral antigen battery was compared with a smaller battery of live leptospiral antigens with 152 human sera positive for leptospirosis. There was good concurrence of results between the formalised and live antigens, however the live battery did fail to detect some positive sera where the antibody level was low. The formalised antigens were more sensitive than the live (P less than 0.001) and more reliable in the detection of early leptospiral infection, but the live antigens were more specific in the determination of probable infecting serogroup.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1987

Experimental infection of monkeys with Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo.

Grivet monkeys experimentally infected with two different strains of Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo showed no signs of severe clinical disease. There were no significant macroscopic lesions in any of the tissues examined, but the organisms were demonstrated in various tissues by immunofluorescent technique and were isolated from the blood and urine of two monkeys and the kidney of one. Abraded skin was shown to be a viable route of infection in non-human primates.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Serological study of leptospiral infections and endogenous uveitis among horses and ponies in the United Kingdom.

The prevalence of antibody titres to a range of 20 leptospira antigens in the serum of horses and ponies with no ophthalmic abnormalities and with ophthalmoscopic evidence of endogenous uveal inflammatory disease was determined using a microscopic agglutination technique. Titres against leptospira antigens were observed in 13 out of 138 (9.1 per cent) animals with no ophthalmic abnormalities, and in three out of 27 (11.1 per cent) animals with anterior uveitis. Serovar sejroe was common to all seropositive animals with anterior uveitis. The results show that leptospira infection is not a major factor in the aetiology of equine anterior uveitis in the UK, but suggests that the organism may be associated with some cases of recurrent anterior uveitis.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

The activities of some metabolic enzymes in the intestines of germ-free and conventional chicks.

The metabolic enzymes alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.42) were measured in mucosal homogenates and these enzymes, together with glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9), were measured in homogenates of isolated enterocytes from germ-free (GF) and conventional (CV) chicks which were either fed continuously until they were killed or were subjected to a 16 h fast before killing. The intestine of the GF chicks was generally lighter than that of the CV controls. The activity of alkaline phosphatase was greater in the mucosal homogenates of the CV chicks compared with the GF birds, but the concentrations of acid phosphatase and isocitric dehydrogenase were not different in the two groups. In the isolated enterocytes the concentration of all enzymes expressed per mg DNA, except alkaline phosphatase, was higher in the GF chicks. Expressed per mg protein there was no significant difference in enzyme activity in the two groups. Fasting caused a reduction in intestinal weight and total mucosal protein in both groups but the reduction was greater in the GF chicks compared with the CV controls. In the GF chicks, fasting caused a significant fall in acid phosphatase and isocitric dehydrogenase activities of the mucosal homogenate, whereas in the CV chicks only acid phosphatase fell to a significant extent. In the isolated enterocytes feeding caused a marked fall in protein per mg DNA in the CV chicks; fasting tended to reduce enzyme concentrations in the GF chicks but to have less effect in the CV group except for alkaline phosphatase where there was a marked rise in activity. It is suggested that the difference in enzyme activities in the mucosal homogenates and isolated enterocytes might resulted from (a) the presence of a much greater lamina propria in the CV compared with the GF chicks and (b) the greater mitotic activity in the fed CV chicks yielding a much larger number of smaller immature cells.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1980

Activities of some metabolic enzymes in the small intestinal mucosa during pregnancy and lactation in the rat.

The food intake, gut weight, gut length, mucosal protein and mucosal activities of alkaline phosphate (EC 3.1.3.1), acid phosphate (EC 3.1.3.2), isocitric dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.42) and glucose-6-phosphate (EC 3.1.3.9) were measured in rats during pregnancy, lactation and after the young were weaned. In general, the quantities measured increased slightly during pregnancy and considerably during lactation, reaching maximum values during the 3rd weeks of lacation and falling more or less rapidly after the young were weaned to the same levels as those in unmated animals. However, the gut length and mucosal protein remained higher even 3 weeks after weaning, so that weight per unit length and specific enzyme activities (per mg protein) tended to be lower in mated than in unmated rats. Changes in the specific activities of enzymes indicate alterations of the metabolic function of the enterocytes during breeding similar to changes reported for digestive enzymes. It is suggested that the intestine may reflect changes that take place in the liver.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1979

The effects of pregnancy and lactation on the activities of trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin in the rat pancreas.

1. The food intake, pancreas weight and trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) and alpha-chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.21.1) activities in the pancreas were measured in rats during pregnancy and lactation and after the young were weaned. 2. All the quantities measured increased significantly during lactation and had returned to their original values by 4 weeks after weaning. Food intake and pancreas weight were highest after the second week of lactation. Total trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin activity, and the activity per g tissue, fell during pregnancy and rose during lactation, reaching a maximum 1 week after weaning. 3. From these and other results it is suggested that the hypertrophy and hypersecretion of pregnancy and lactation are initiated by changes insulin secretion and mediated by the trophic effects of gut hormones, and that differences in the nature and timing of the response may be controlled by nutrient availability.

Animals↗