Secondary sexual coloration is related to white blood cell counts and testosterone in male southeastern five-lined skinks (Plestiodon inexpectatus)

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 585-589
Author(s):  
Ryan Seddon ◽  
Matthew Klukowski
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Testosterone ◽  
Male Quality ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
The Status ◽  
Leukocyte Counts ◽  
Sexual Coloration ◽  
Immunocompetence Handicap Hypothesis ◽  
Handicap Hypothesis ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Secondary Sexual

The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis posits that secondary sexual coloration can honestly signal male quality because elevated testosterone, which is necessary for the expression of the coloration, also handicaps males through immunosuppression. Thus only high quality males can express the showiest coloration in spite of immunosuppression. Here we report a test of the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis in southeastern five-lined skinks, Plestiodon inexpectatus, which exhibit a reddish-orange head coloration during the breeding season. We tested whether head coloration is related to circulating testosterone concentrations and reflects the status of a male’s immune system, as measured by total leukocyte counts. As predicted, hue, saturation, and extent of head coloration were correlated with plasma testosterone, and the brightness of the head was negatively correlated with total circulating leukocytes. While results are consistent with the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis, additional studies that include experimental manipulations of testosterone levels and measure other aspects of immunity are warranted.

scholarly journals Leukogram Profile and Clinical Status invivaxandfalciparumMalaria Patients from Colombia

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Tobón-Castaño ◽  
Esteban Mesa-Echeverry ◽  
Andrés Felipe Miranda-Arboleda
Keyword(s):  
Hematological Parameters ◽  
Clinical Status ◽  
Clinical Complications ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Leukocyte Counts ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Hematologic Profile ◽  
Monitoring Treatment ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Hematological Alterations

Introduction. Hematological alterations are frequent in malaria patients; the relationship between alterations in white blood cell counts and clinical status in malaria is not well understood. In Colombia, with low endemicity and unstable transmission for malaria, with malariavivaxpredominance, the hematologic profile in malaria patients is not well characterized. The aim of this study was to characterize the leukogram in malaria patients and to analyze its alterations in relation to the clinical status.Methods. 888 leukogram profiles of malaria patients from different Colombian regions were studied: 556 withP. falciparuminfection (62.6%), 313 withP. vivaxinfection (35.2%), and 19 with mixed infection by these species (2.1%).Results. Leukocyte counts at diagnosis were within normal range in 79% of patients and 18% had leucopenia; the most frequent alteration was lymphopenia (54%) followed by monocytosis (11%); the differential granulocyte count in 298 patients revealed eosinophilia (15%) and high basophil counts (8%). Leukocytosis, eosinopenia, and neutrophilia were associated with clinical complications. The utility of changes in leukocyte counts as markers of severity should be explored in depth. A better understanding of these hematological parameters will allow their use in prompt diagnosis of malaria complications and monitoring treatment response.

scholarly journals On sexual dimorphism in immune function

2008 ◽  
Vol 364 (1513) ◽  
pp. 61-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles L Nunn ◽  
Patrik Lindenfors ◽  
E. Rhiannon Pursall ◽  
Jens Rolff
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Insect Immunity ◽  
Sexual Competition ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Handicap Hypothesis ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts

Sexual dimorphism in immune function is a common pattern in vertebrates and also in a number of invertebrates. Most often, females are more ‘immunocompetent’ than males. The underlying causes are explained by either the role of immunosuppressive substances, such as testosterone, or by fundamental differences in male and female life histories. Here, we investigate some of the main predictions of the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) in a comparative framework using mammals. We focus specifically on the prediction that measures of sexual competition across species explain the observed patterns of variation in sex-specific immunocompetence within species. Our results are not consistent with the ICHH, but we do find that female mammals tend to have higher white blood cell counts (WBC), with some further associations between cell counts and longevity in females. We also document positive covariance between sexual dimorphism in immunity, as measured by a subset of WBC, and dimorphism in the duration of effective breeding. This is consistent with the application of ‘Bateman's principle’ to immunity, with females maximizing fitness by lengthening lifespan through greater investment in immune defences. Moreover, we present a meta-analysis of insect immunity, as the lack of testosterone in insects provides a means to investigate Bateman's principle for immunity independently of the ICHH. Here, we also find a systematic female bias in the expression of one of the two components of insect immune function that we investigated (phenoloxidase). From these analyses, we conclude that the mechanistic explanations of the ICHH lack empirical support. Instead, fitness-related differences between the sexes are potentially sufficient to explain many natural patterns in immunocompetence.

Significance of the Splenic Vein and Its Branches in Pancreatoduodenectomy with Resection of the Portal Vein System

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 382-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masashi Hattori ◽  
Tsutomu Fujii ◽  
Suguru Yamada ◽  
Yoshikuni Inokawa ◽  
Masaya Suenaga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Portal Vein ◽  
Splenic Vein ◽  
Pancreatic Head ◽  
Inferior Mesenteric Vein ◽  
Mesenteric Vein ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
The Status ◽  
Sinistral Portal Hypertension ◽  
Pancreatic Head Carcinoma ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts

Background/Aims: Pancreatic head carcinoma frequently invades the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) and/or portal vein (PV). We aimed to evaluate the outcome of transection of the splenic vein (SV) and inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) in pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) with SMV and/or PV resection. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 660 patients who had undergone pancreatectomy at our institution from January 2004 to October 2013, and selected 141 consecutive patients who had undergone PD with concurrent SMV/PV resection. Postoperative hypersplenism and the presence of remnant branches were evaluated. Results: The SV had been transected in 81 patients and preserved in 60. Postoperative complications and white blood cell counts were similar between the groups. The postoperative splenic volume was not significantly associated with the status of the SV or IMV on the transected SV. The platelet count was significantly lower, and the incidence of collateral veins was higher after SV transection than after SV preservation until 6 months after surgery; these variables were similar in the long term. Conclusion: SV reconstruction might be unnecessary when SV transection is required. Preservation of the IMV on the remnant SV might not prevent sinistral portal hypertension.

An Alternative Elastase-mediated Degradation of Fibrinogen and Fibrin Observed in a Patient with Herpes Simplex Encephalitis and Pneumonia

1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (02) ◽  
pp. 184-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji lijima ◽  
Fumiyo Murakami ◽  
Yasushi Horie ◽  
Katsumi Nakamura ◽  
Shiro Ikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Blood Cell ◽  
White Blood Cell ◽  
Herpes Simplex Encephalitis ◽  
Pmn Elastase ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Sds Page ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Pmn Élastase

SummaryA 74-year-old female developed pneumonia following herpes simplex encephalitis. Her white blood cell counts reached 28,400/μl, about 90% of which consisted of granulocytes. The polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase/α1-arantitrypsin complex levels increased and reached the maximum of 5,019 ng/ml, indicating the release of a large amount of elastase derived from the granulocytes. The mechanism of PMN elastase release was most likely to be granulocyte destruction associated with phagocytosis. The cleavage of fibrinogen and fibrin by PMN elastase, independent of plasmin, was indicated by the presence of the fragments in immunoprecipitated plasma from the patient corresponding to elastase-induced FDP D and DD fragments and the absence of fragments corresponding to plasmin-induced FDP D and DD fragments on SDS-PAGE. These findings suggested that the large amount of PMN elastase released from the excessive numbers of granulocytes in this patient with herpes simplex encephalitis and pneumonia, induced the cleavage of fibrinogen and fibrin without the participation of plasmin.

scholarly journals Three Manual Noncommercial Methods to Prepare Equine Platelet-Rich Plasma

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1478
Author(s):  
Lorenzo G. T. M. Segabinazzi ◽  
Giorgia Podico ◽  
Michael F. Rosser ◽  
Som G. Nanjappa ◽  
Marco A. Alvarenga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Upright Position ◽  
Platelet Counts ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Platelet Concentration ◽  
Manual Methods ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Over Time

In light of PRP’s increasing popularity in veterinary practice, this study aimed to compare three manual methods to prepare and cool equine PRP. The blood of 18 clinically healthy mares was collected via venipuncture in a blood transfusion bag (method 1), blood tubes (method 2), and a syringe (method 3). In method 1, samples were double centrifuged; method 2 involved one centrifugation, and in method 3 the syringe was kept in an upright position to sediment for 4 h. After processing with three methods, PRP and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) were extracted and assessed for red (RBC) and white blood cell counts (WBC), platelet counts, and viability. In a subset of mares (n = 6), samples were processed with the three methods, and PRP was evaluated at 6 and 24 h postcooling at 5 °C. Method 1 resulted in the highest and method 3 in the lowest platelet concentration (p < 0.05), and the latter also had greater contamination with WBC than the others (p < 0.001). Platelet viability was similar across treatments (p > 0.05). Cooling for 24 h did not affect platelet counts in all methods (p > 0.05); however, platelet viability was reduced after cooling PRP produced by method 3 (p = 0.04), and agglutination increased over time in all methods (p < 0.001). The three methods increased (1.8–5.6-fold) platelet concentration in PRP compared to whole blood without compromising platelet viability. In conclusion, all three methods concentrated platelets and while cooling affected their viability. It remains unknown whether the different methods and cooling would affect PRP’s clinical efficacy.

scholarly journals Postoperative Rise of Circulating Mitochondrial DNA Is Associated with Inflammatory Response in Patients following Pancreaticoduodenectomy

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Niv Pencovich ◽  
Nadav Nevo ◽  
Roi Weiser ◽  
Ekaterina Bonder ◽  
Yoel Bogoch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Inflammatory Response ◽  
Delayed Gastric Emptying ◽  
Clinical Course ◽  
Severe Trauma ◽  
Postoperative Fever ◽  
Postoperative Course ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts ◽  
The Relationship

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Accumulation of plasma mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) following severe trauma has been shown to correlate with the development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and may predict mortality. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between levels of circulatory mtDNA following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and the postoperative course. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Levels of plasma mtDNA were assessed by real-time PCR of the mitochondrial genes <i>ND1</i> and <i>COX3</i> in 23 consecutive patients who underwent PD 1 day prior to surgery, within 8 h after surgery, and on postoperative day (POD)1 and POD5. The abundance of mtDNA was assessed relative to preoperative levels and in relation to parameters reflecting the postoperative clinical course. <b><i>Results:</i></b> When pooled for all patients, the circulating mtDNA levels were significantly increased after surgery. However, while a significant (at least &#x3e;2-fold and up to &#x3e;20-fold) rise was noted in 11 patients, no change in mtDNA levels was noted in the other 12 following surgery. Postoperative rise in circulating mtDNA was associated with an increased rate of postoperative fever until day 5, decreased hemoglobin and albumin levels, and increased white blood cell counts. These patients also suffered from increased rates of delayed gastric emptying. No significant differences were demonstrated in other postoperative parameters. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Circulating mtDNA surge is associated with an inflammatory response following PD and may potentially be used as an early marker for postoperative course. Studies of larger patient cohorts are warranted.

Mediational g-formula for time-varying treatment and repeated-measured multiple mediators: Application to atorvastatin’s effect on cardiovascular disease via cholesterol lowering and anti-inflammatory actions in elderly type 2 diabetics

2021 ◽  
pp. 096228022110259
Author(s):  
Shintaro Yamamuro ◽  
Tomohiro Shinozaki ◽  
Satoshi Iimuro ◽  
Yutaka Matsuyama
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Blood Cell ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Inflammatory Action

Modern causal mediation theory has formalized several types of indirect and direct effects of treatment on outcomes regarding specific mediator variables. We reviewed and unified distinct approaches to estimate the “interventional” direct and indirect effects for multiple mediators and time-varying variables. This study was motivated by a clinical trial of elderly type-2 diabetic patients in which atorvastatin was widely prescribed to control patients’ cholesterol levels to reduce diabetic complications, including cardiovascular disease. Among atorvastatin’s preventive side-effects (pleiotropic effects), we focus on its anti-inflammatory action as measured by white blood cell counts. Hence, we estimate atorvastatin’s interventional indirect effects through cholesterol lowering and through anti-inflammatory action, and interventional direct effect bypassing these two actions. In our analysis, total effect (six-year cardiovascular disease risk difference) estimated by standard plug-in g-formula of −3.65% (95% confidence interval: −10.29%, 4.38%) is decomposed into indirect effect via low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−0.90% [−1.91%, −0.07%]), via white blood cell counts (−0.03% [−0.22%, 0.11%]), and direct effect (−2.84% [−9.71%, 5.41%]) by the proposed parametric mediational g-formula. The SAS program and its evaluation via simulated datasets are provided in the Supplemental materials.

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