Proteasome activities decrease during dexamethasone-induced apoptosis of thymocytes

The induction of apoptosis in thymocytes by the glucocorticoid dexamethasone was used as a model system to investigate whether there are changes in 20 S and 26 S proteasome activities during apoptosis. We observed that thymocytes contain high concentrations of proteasomes and that following treatment with dexamethasone, cell extracts showed a decrease in proteasome chymotrypsin-like activity which correlated with the degree of apoptosis observed. The decrease in chymotrypsin-like activity of 20 S and 26S proteasomes was still apparent after these complexes had been partially puri®ed from apoptotic thymocyte extracts and was therefore not due to competition resulting from a general increase in protein turnover. The trypsin-like and peptidylglutamylpeptide hydrolase activities of proteasome complexes were also observed to decrease during apoptosis, but these decreases were reversed by the inhibition of apoptosis by the caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe)-¯uoromethylketone. However, the chymotrypsin-like activity of proteasomes decreased further in the presence of the apoptosis inhibitor. Val-Ala-Asp-¯uoromethylketone was found to inhibit the chymotrypsin- and trypsin-like activity of 26 S proteasomes in .itro. The decrease in proteasome activities in apoptosis did not appear to be due to a decrease in the concentration of total cellular proteasomes. Thus, the early decreases in 20 S and 26 S proteasome activities during apoptosis appear to be due to a down-regulation of their proteolytic activities and not to a decrease in their protein concentration. These data suggest that proteasomes may be responsible, in thymocytes, for the turnover of a protein that functions as a positive regulator of apoptosis.

Evaluation of an inactivated Ross River virus vaccine in active and passive mouse immunization models and establishment of a correlate of protection

Ross River Virus has caused reported outbreaks of epidemic polyarthritis, a chronic debilitating disease associated with significant long-term morbidity in Australia and the Pacific region since the 1920s. To address this public health concern, a formalin- and UV-inactivated whole virus vaccine grown in animal protein-free cell culture was developed and tested in preclinical studies to evaluate immunogenicity and efficacy in animal models. After active immunizations, the vaccine dose-dependently induced antibodies and protected adult mice from viremia and interferon α/β receptor knock-out (IFN-α/βR(-/-)) mice from death and disease. In passive transfer studies, administration of human vaccinee sera followed by RRV challenge protected adult mice from viremia and young mice from development of arthritic signs similar to human RRV-induced disease. Based on the good correlation between antibody titers in human sera and protection of animals, a correlate of protection was defined. This is of particular importance for the evaluation of the vaccine because of the comparatively low annual incidence of RRV disease, which renders a classical efficacy trial impractical. Antibody-dependent enhancement of infection, did not occur in mice even at low to undetectable concentrations of vaccine-induced antibodies. Also, RRV vaccine-induced antibodies were partially cross-protective against infection with a related alphavirus, Chikungunya virus, and did not enhance infection. Based on these findings, the inactivated RRV vaccine is expected to be efficacious and protect humans from RRV disease

Ambient media for the third place in urban environments

As ambient computing blends into the fabric of the modern urban environment developing a positive interplay between people, places, and technology to create enlivened, interactive cities becomes a necessary priority in how we imagine, understand, design, and develop cities. Designing technology for art, culture and gastronomic experiences, that are rich in community, can provide the means for collaborative action to (re)create cities that are lively, engaging, and promote a sense of well being as well as belonging.

Educational and occupational outcomes amongst African men from refugee backgrounds living in urban and regional Southeast Queensland

Over the last ten years, approximately one third of refugee and humanitarian entrants to Australia have been adult men. To date, little research has been done on their health and settlement issues. Many of these men have come from the African continent. This paper reports on the educational and employment outcomes of a group of 173 recently arrived adult African men from refugee backgrounds who have settled in Southeast Queensland. Given the current government policy focus on regional resettlement, the paper compares key outcomes between the adult African men who settled in metropolitan Brisbane with those living in the Toowoomba-Gatton region. The study uses a peer interviewer model and a mixed method approach. Overall, we have found that African men who have settled in regional areas face significantly greater educational and occupational challenges than those who settled in the urban area. They report more negative experiences at educational institutions, are more likely to take jobs that are below their level of skills and qualifications, are more dissatisfied with their jobs, and report greater discrimination and difficulties while trying to secure adequate employment in Australia. A number of policy implications are discussed.

Measurement of alcohol craving

Despite considerable research activity and application in treatment, the construct of craving remains poorly understood. We propose that cravings and urges are cognitive���emotional events in time, characterised by frequency, duration, intensity and salience. Commonly used measures of alcohol craving are reviewed, and their strengths and weaknesses identified. Most measures confound craving with behaviours, or with separable cognitive phenomena such as expectancies, intentions, or perceived behavioural control. These confounds have limited our advances in understanding the determinants and consequences of craving. Based on the criteria applied in this review, among the better performing multi-item measures are the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale and Obsessive subscale of the Obsessive���Compulsive Drinking Scale. Optimal assessment strategies are likely to involve daily assessments of peak intensity of cravings, desires or urges and of the frequency and duration of craving episodes. Of particular interest are measures of intensity at times when individuals are at risk of drinking or of other functional impacts from craving.

A confirmatory factor analysis of the Observer Alexithymia Scale in treatment seeking alcohol-dependent patients

Confirmatory factor analyses evaluated the factorial validity of the Observer Alexithymia Scale (OAS) in an alcohol-dependent sample. Observation was conducted by clinical psychologists. All models examined were rejected, given their poor fit. Given the psychometric limitations of the OAS shown in this study, the OAS may not be the most appropriate measure to use early in treatment among alcohol-dependent individuals.

Graphene-like nano-sheets based LiTaO3 surface acoustic wave NO2 gas sensor

Thin films consisting of graphene-like nano-sheets were deposited onto LiTaO3 surface acoustic wave transducers. A thickness of less than 10 nm and the existence of C-C bond were observed during the characterization of graphene-like nano-sheets. Frequency shift of 18.7 kHz and 14.9 kHz towards 8.5 ppm NO2 at two different operating temperature, 40°C and 25°C, respectively, was observed.

18th Biennale of Sydney

For Sydney’s eighteenth biennale, curators Catherine de Zegher and Gerald McMaster have proposed the theme “All Our Relations,” imagining the world as a complex, “breathing organism”—a cybernetic aggregation of specialized components meant to work in concert. This preview suggests that the biennale will promote art that encourages empathic relations with audiences and will seek to provide a trans-national focus via the work of global indigenous artists.

Improving the quality of fourth year civil engineering research projects through bibliographic instruction

Faculty and reference librarians at the Queensland University of Technology have collaborated in an attempt to improve the quality of literature reviews in civil engineering final -year research projects. This article describes the instructional program devised and the level of faculty support for the librarians' contribution, and presents survey results revealing how students could most benefit from BI and how the classroom collaboration affected student project work. The authors offer some observations about the possible impact of 81 in general, and on engineers in particular, which may provide a focus for future research.

Longitudinal Evidence on Educational and Occupational Outcomes Amongst South Sudanese Men from Refugee Backgrounds Living in Urban and Regional Southeast Queensland

Australia has continued to benefit from the human, social and economic capital contributed by immigrant resettlement over many years. Humanitarian entrants have also made significant economic, social and civic contributions to the Australian society. Since 2000, approximately 160,000 people have entered Australia under the refugee and humanitarian resettlement program; around 15% have come from South Sudan and one third of these are adult males. In response to the 2003 evaluation of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS), which recommended to seek further opportunities to settle humanitarian entrants in regional Australia, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has since encouraged regional settlement to “address the demand for less skilled labour in regional economies and to assist humanitarian entrants to achieve early employment”. There is evidence, however, of the many challenges faced by humanitarian arrivals living in regional areas. This chapter focuses on the educational and occupational outcomes among 117 South Sudanese adult men from refugee backgrounds. In particular, the chapter uses both cross-sectional (at first interview) and longitudinal data (four interviews with each participant at six-month intervals) to compares outcomes between men living in Brisbane and those living in the Toowoomba–Gatton region in Southeast Queensland.