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Biomedical subjects

T J Keefe

Publications and source records attributed to T J Keefe.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Comparison of two commercially available single radial immunodiffusion kits for quantitation of llama immunoglobulin G.

Immunoglobin G (IgG) quantitation was performed by a commercially available single radial immunodiffusion kit on 528 plasma samples obtained from llamas. Fifty samples encompassing the range of values obtained were selected for further evaluation. The IgG concentration of these samples was measured by a second commercially available single radial immunodiffusion kit and a sodium sulfite precipitation kit. gamma-Globulins also were measured. IgG values predicted by the single radial immunodiffusion kits were not in agreement. Failure to appreciate this lack of agreement could result in misinterpretation of a llama's IgG level derived from one kit when clinical guidelines established using the other kit are followed.

Animals↗

Bioequivalency comparison between two gonadotropin-releasing hormone products.

The bioequivalency of 2 gondatropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) preparations, gonadorelin diacetate tetrahydrate and gonadorelin semicarbonate, was compared on the basis of luteinizing hormone (LH)-releasing ability of the 2 products in diestrous dairy cows. Twenty-four cycling, nonlactating Holstein cows were subjected to a double prostaglandin estrus synchronization treatment to simultaneously control stage of the estrous cycle and time factors as potential variables effecting LH responses to the treatments being studied. Circulating progesterone concentration was determined to verify stage of cycle at strategic times throughout the study. Twelve days after the second prostaglandin treatment, all cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (n = 12). Each group of 12 cows received single doses (100 micrograms) of either GnRH preparation at the start of each test period in a 2-period crossover design. Serum samples were obtained prior to and at 12 times (10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 360, 480, and 1,440 minutes) after treatment and were assayed to determine circulating LH concentration. Significant difference between the 2 GnRH products was not found with respect to: mean concentration of LH in the blood during the 24 hours after treatment; maximal LH concentration; time from treatment to maximal LH concentration; and area under the LH concentration curve from time 0 through each of 7 times after treatment (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours). These data confirm the bioequivalency of the 2 GnRH products.

Animals↗

Effect of dose of GnRH analog on ovulation in mares.

Proper timing of insemination for optimal conception is accomplished by frequent palpations per rectum, by ultrasonography of the preovulatory follicle and/or by treatment with hCG or GnRH. Sustained release of GnRH from implants has been shown to hasten ovulation. Therefore, 2 studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a GnRH analog, deslorelin, for hastening ovulation in nonlactating cyclic mares. The GnRH implant was 2.3x3.7 mm and released deslorelin for 2 to 3 days. In Experiment 1, 60 nonlactating, cycling mares were assigned to 1 of 5 doses: 0, 1.2, 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 mg per implant. Mares were assigned sequentially on the first day of estrus (Day 1). Ovaries were examined per rectum and with ultrasonography every 12 h until ovulation. Once the mares obtained a follicle>30 mm, they were injected subcutaneously with a GnRH implant. The mares were inseminated every other day during estrus with semen from 1 of 3 stallions. Pregnancy was determined with ultrasonography. Experiment 2, 40 nonlactating, cyclic mares were assigned to 1 of 5 treatments (same treatments as in Experiment 1). Data were obtained on interval to ovulation, duration of estrus and pregnancy rates at 12, 18 and 35 d after ovulation. Time to ovulation was shorter (P<0.05) in GnRH-treated mares than in control mares in the Experiment 1. Mean time to ovulation was 68, 49, 48, 47, 44 h in Experiment 1, and 91, 66, 58, 46, 58 h in Experiment 2 for mares given 0, 1.2, 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 mg/mare in the 2 trials. Averaged for both experiments, the proportion of mares ovulating within 48 h of treatment was 40, 75, 85, 90 and 90% for 0, 1.2, 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 mg/mare. For both experiments, there was no effect of GnRH on pregnancy rate. In summary, a subcutaneous implant containing GnRH analog induced ovulation in most mares by 48 h of injection, and there was no advantage of doses higher than 2.2 mg/mare.

Journal Article↗

Cardiopulmonary effects of medetomidine in heartworm-infected and noninfected dogs.

Medetomidine, an investigational drug indicated for clinical use as a short-term chemical restraint in dogs, was evaluated for its cardiopulmonary effects, in 10 naturally heartworm-infected (HW+) and 10 noninfected (HW-) Beagles. The drug was randomly administered i.v. (30 micrograms/kg of body weight) and i.m. (40 micrograms/kg) in single injections to all dogs. Heart rate, respiratory rate, ECG, blood gas tensions, blood pH, central venous and arterial pressures were measured at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes. Medetomidine induced an immediate significant (P < or = 0.001) increase in mean arterial blood pressure followed by decreased blood pressure that remained below normal throughout the study in both groups, irrespective of route of administration. Medetomidine increased central venous pressure, over time, for both groups and both routes of administration. Heart and respiratory rates were significantly (P < or = 0.001) decreased after medetomidine administration and remained reduced for the duration of the study in all dogs. The ECG variables were not significantly different between groups or between routes of administration. The HW+ dogs tended to have higher mean PaO2 than did HW- dogs at several postinjection determination times, particularly when the drug was administered i.m. The PaO2 decreased during the first 30 minutes in both groups and tended to increase gradually thereafter. The pH decreased over time for both groups and both routes. A significant (P < or = 0.05) decrease in pH was seen in the HW- dogs, compared with HW+ dogs at each measuring time for both routes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Risk factors for exposure to arsenic at a hazardous waste site.

Communities surrounding the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA), a Superfund site in Colorado, were studied in order to determine whether exposures to arsenic were greater among persons who resided there than among residents of a comparison area. A census was conducted in areas adjacent to the RMA and in a comparison area 12-15 miles distant. From a stratified random sample, 469 persons were interviewed and urine samples obtained. Arsenic was detected in urine from 43 (9.2%) of the 469 persons sampled at a detection limit of 10 ppb. Trace levels of arsenic (detectable, but non-quantifiable) were found in 184 (39.2%) of those persons sampled. Neither the frequency of detection, the arithmetic mean nor the geometric mean values for urine arsenic was found to be statistically different when persons living near the site were compared to persons from the more distant comparison area. Therefore, the data were pooled across the study areas to evaluate risk factors for exposure to arsenic in this population-based sample. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the risk of arsenic exposure associated with variables included in the interviews while controlling for confounding. Pathways for exposure to arsenic were evaluated through analysis of residence history, occupation, hobbies, dietary habits, water supply, housing and activity patterns. Children of Hispanic origin or non-white race, children who drank less than three glasses of water daily, and children who spent more time outdoors had an increased risk of having > or = 10 ppb of arsenic in their urine. Among adults, younger persons, especially those less than 40 years of age, persons of Hispanic origin or nonwhite race, and those employed in occupations where arsenic is likely to be found had an increased risk of having > or = 10 ppb of urine arsenic. Consumption of red wine or fish during the week prior to sampling was associated with trace levels of arsenic in urine.

Adolescent↗

Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies to vesicular stomatitis virus in cattle in an enzootic region of Mexico.

An ELISA was compared with the plaque-reduction serum neutralization (PRSN) test, for detection of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) antibodies in cattle in a vesicular stomatitis enzootic region of Mexico. A total of 325 bovine serum samples were screened for VSV antibodies. The PRSN test was performed, using Vero cells. The ELISA contained gradient-purified VSV Indiana (Lab strain) and VSV New Jersey (Hazelhurst) as the antigens. Regression analysis and weighted kappa statistic were used to estimate measures of agreement between the 2 assays for detection of VSV antibodies. The ELISA method proved useful for serodiagnosis of vesicular stomatitis. The ELISA and PRSN test results were highly correlated for detection of VSV antibodies.

Animals↗

Epidemiologic factors involved in perinatal lamb mortality on four range sheep operations.

Four shed-lambing operations in western Colorado were monitored during the 1984 spring lambing season to determine the causes and rates of perinatal lamb mortality. The number of lambing ewes per flock ranged from 513 to 1,712, and lambing percentages ranged from 131 to 180%. Overall perinatal lamb mortality ranged from 8.2 to 12.2%. Most lamb deaths occurred during parturition or within 24 hours after parturition. More than 85% of all lamb deaths were in lambs born to ewes having 2 or more lambs. The leading causes of lamb death were starvation, dystocia, stillbirth (unknown cause), and infectious diseases. A wheel model was used to categorize factors causing lamb deaths into 4 groups: physical, social, host, and biological, and to present data on perinatal lamb mortality in a simple visual model. In all flocks, social and biological factors resulted in most of the lamb deaths. On the basis of our findings, we suggest that interventions designed to improve ewe-lamb bonding and to reduce infectious agents and the incidence of prolonged parturition may reduce lamb mortality.

Animals↗

Leptospirosis. Epidemiological features of a sporadic case.

Leptospirosis occurred in a 45-year-old man with presumed infection from an exposure to contaminated water at his source of employment. An intensive epidemiological investigation, including serological examination of all family members and pets and cultures on the patient and his family pets (cats and dogs), proved that the leptospiral organism was acquired by the patient's exposure to his dogs. The risk of acquiring infection from dogs that are asymptomatic and vaccinated is emphasized by this report.

Animals↗

A study of the accuracy of cancer risk factor information reported to a central registry compared with that obtained by interview.

Sources of readily available data for cancer surveillance are frequently sought. To assess the validity of information on cancer risk factors that is routinely collected in conjunction with cancer incidence reporting, the authors completed interviews for 441 patients identified through the Missouri Cancer Registry from June 1986 to May 1987. Interviews elicited information on employment history, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Data collected from interviews were compared with those previously reported to the Registry by participating hospitals. Exact agreements of three-digit US Census codes were 70% for occupation and 72% for industry. Concordance for never- versus ever-smoking status was 83%, and a high correlation (r = 0.93) was observed for level of smoking. Agreement on alcohol consumption was lower (65%), largely because of the presence of false negatives. Misclassification occurred in a random manner for occupational variables; however, differential misclassification was present for smoking and alcohol histories. Despite the limitations of registry-collected data, these findings suggest that cancer registries that obtain information on cancer risk factors may be suitable for exploratory studies, especially those involving occupational cancer surveillance.

Adult↗

Dose titration and confirmation tests for determination of cesticidal efficacy of epsiprantel in dogs.

Fifty-five dogs, naturally infected with Taenia sp or Dipylidium caninum or both, were assigned to the following treatment groups for dose titration studies with epsiprantel: nonmedicated control dogs (n = 14), medicated dogs given a dosage of 2.75 mg/kg of body weight (n = 15), medicated dogs given a dosage of 5.5 mg/kg (n = 16), and medicated dogs given a dosage of 8.25 mg/kg (n = 10). Medication was given orally in a tablet formulation. Feces were examined for cestodes passed and the gastrointestinal tract was examined at necropsy for retained cestodes. Efficacy of epsiprantel was 92.9% against Taenia and 44.8% against Dipylidium for a dosage of 2.75 mg/kg, 100% against Taenia and 99.8% against Dipylidium for a dosage of 5.5 mg/kg, and 94.6% against Taenia and 100% against Dipylidium for a dosage of 8.25 mg/kg. For dose confirmation, 36 dogs naturally infected with Taenia sp or D caninum or both were allotted to 2 treatment groups: nonmedicated control dogs (n = 16) and dogs medicated with epsiprantel at a dosage of 5.5 mg/kg (n = 20). Efficacy was 100% for both Taenia sp and D caninum.

Animals↗

Strains of Escherichia coli associated with urogenital disease in dogs and cats.

Selected strains of Escherichia coli associated with urogenital disease in dogs and cats were evaluated for 3 virulence factors associated with human uropathogenic strains. Urogenital strains of E coli from dogs and cats had high prevalence of alpha hemolysin and were clustered in 5 to 10 somatic serogroups, attributes also shared by human uropathogenic strains. However, the canine and feline urogenital strains failed to have increased prevalence of mannose-resistant hemagglutination, as has been reported for human uropathogenic strains.

Animals↗

A predictive model for determining asbestos concentrations for fibers less than five micrometers in length.

The controversy of whether small asbestos fibers are biologically significant has not been resolved. The present standard method for evaluating asbestos fiber concentrations in workroom air excludes fibers less than 5 micron long even though it has been shown that small fiber concentrations dominate in a dust cloud. This research project was conducted to develop a mathematical model whereby one could predict small (less than 5 micron length) asbestos fiber concentration based on the fiber count concentration determined by phase contrast microscope analysis. Dry chrysotile asbestos was aerosolized into a chamber and sampled by membrane filtration. Segments from each filter were analyzed by both the NIOSH technique using phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at 2000 X for fiber concentrations. A linear relationship was found to exist between the natural logarithm of the SEM-determined concentration and the natural logarithm of the PCM-determined concentration (r = 0.852). Using these data, a mathematical model was developed to predict SEM concentrations based on PCM counts. This model may have application in retrospective epidemiological studies for estimating small fiber exposure levels to determine if small fibers play a role in disease production. The greatest utility would be in those retrospective studies where the only exposure information available is based on PCM counts.

Air Pollutants↗

Risk factors for adenocarcinoma of the lung.

The relation between various risk factors and adenocarcinoma of the lung was evaluated in a case-control study. Subjects were selected from the Colorado Central Cancer Registry from 1979-1982 in the Denver metropolitan area. A total of 102 (50 males and 52 females) adenocarcinoma case interviews and 131 (65 males and 66 females) control interviews were completed. The control group consisted of persons with cancers of the colon and bone marrow. The risk estimates associated with cigarette smoking were significantly elevated among males (odds ratio (OR) = 4.49) and females (OR = 3.95) and were found to increase significantly (p less than 0.01) with increasing levels of cigarette smoking for both males and females. For adenocarcinoma in females, the age- and smoking-adjusted odds ratios at different levels of passive smoke exposure followed an increasing overall trend (p = 0.05). After additional adjustment for potential confounders, prior cigarette use remained the most significant predictor of risk of adenocarcinoma among males and females. Analysis restricted to nonsmoking females revealed a risk of adenocarcinoma of 1.68 (95% confidence interval (Cl) = 0.39-2.97) for passive smoke exposure of four or more hours per day. Neither sex showed significantly elevated risk for occupational exposures, although males bordered on significance (OR = 2.23, 95% Cl = 0.97-5.12). The results suggest the need to develop cell type-specific etiologic hypotheses.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Serum levels and pharmacokinetics of ticarcillin and clavulanic acid in dog following parenteral administration of Timentin.

The serum concentration-time data for ticarcillin (TICAR) and clavulanic acid (CLA) following intravenous and intramuscular administration of Timentin (TICAR, 50 mg/kg with CLA, 1.7 mg/kg) indicated that absorption of CLA following intramuscular injection and its overall elimination from the body was faster than that of TICAR. This is supported by comparison of certain pharmacokinetic parameters for TICAR and CLA. These include the shorter value of Tmax for CLA (11.45 +/- 1.60 min) than that for TICAR (29.93 +/- 1.94 min) and significant variation in the elimination rate constants (0.183 +/- 0.0018 min -1 for CLA vs. 0.0097 +/- 0.0006 min -1 for TICAR) for the intravenous group of animals. The biological half-life of CLA (approximately 39 min) was significantly shorter (P less than 0.01) than that of TICAR (approximately 73 min). In spite of initial faster absorption, the intramuscular bioavailability of CLA (65.02%) was less than that of TICAR (91.37%). Though the pharmacokinetic behaviour of TICAR and CLA is not similar, yet based on the therapeutically optimal concentrations of CLA and TICAR reached in serum, Timentin at the dose used in the present study should be effective in treating most TICAR-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in dogs. Timentin is not likely to be effective in the treatment of infections caused by TICAR-resistant pseudomonads, at the dose used in the present study.

Animals↗

A model for experimental bacterial cystitis in the dog.

To induce an experimental model of bacterial cystitis, ten preconditioned dogs underwent bladder irritation with a 0.1% alcoholic solution of salicylic acid followed in 24 hours by an intravesicular infusion of Proteus mirabilis. The dogs were observed for the following 14 days (five dogs) and 17 days (five dogs) and then euthanatized and necropsied. Tenesmus, dysuria, hematuria, and pollakiuria occurred in all dogs, but the severity of these signs diminished with time. The total white cell, neutrophil, and monocyte counts in the peripheral blood increased and urinalysis results were consistent with infection and severe inflammation. The infection persisted for the duration of the study, although the average quantitative bacterial count in urine progressively declined. No changes occurred in the measured clinical chemistry values. Severe inflammation was present on gross examination of the bladder and microscopic examination of the bladder, prostate, and renal pelvis. Less severe inflammation was present on microscopic examination of the urethra and ureter.

Animals↗

Airborne particle concentration and meteorologic conditions associated with pneumonia incidence in feedlot cattle.

To elucidate the role of air quality on the occurrence of pneumonia in feedlot cattle, the following environmental values were measured at a feedlot: suspended particulates in 5 particle-size fractions, relative humidity, air temperature, and barometric pressure. Pneumonia incidence data were classified by the number of days the cattle had been at the feedlot (days on feed). The concentration of airborne particles, range of temperature, days on feed, and season of the year were associated with incidence of pneumonia in cattle. Pneumonia incidence rates were greatest both within 15 days of arrival at the feedlot and during the fall sampling periods. The incidence of pneumonia in the 16 to 30 days-on-feed group was closely associated with the concentration of particles 2.0 to 3.3 microns in diameter and the range of daily temperature when exposure occurred 15 days before the onset of disease in the fall and 10 days before in the spring.

Air Pollutants↗