Young refugees talk about well-being: A qualitative analysis of refugee youth mental health from three states

Young people from refugee backgrounds face enormous challenges in the settlement process within Australia. They must locate themselves within a new social, cultural, geographic and adult space, yet also try to find security within the spaces of their own families and ethnic communities. Traumas of the past can mix with painful experiences of the present. The stressors in the lives of these young people can be both complex and diverse. This paper explores the nature a/these stressors among young people from refugee backgrounds living in Australia. [t is based On in-depth interviews with 76 young people from refugee backgrounds now living in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. A qualitative analysis of the impact of these stressors as well as the coping strategies employed are discussed It is argued that trauma exists

Geographic parthenogenesis in the Australian arid zone: I. A climatic analysis of the Heteronotia binoei complex (Gekkonidae)

Patterns of geographic parthenogenesis can provide insight into the ecological implications of the transition from sexual to parthenogenetic reproduction. We analysed quantitatively the environmental niches occupied by sexual and parthenogenetic geckos of the Heteronotia binoei complex in the Australian and zone. This complex consists of two independently derived maternal lineages of hybrid parthenogens, which, in turn, include two different triploid races that resulted from reciprocal backcrossing with the parental sexual taxa. The sexual progenitors are still extant and occupy very distinct environmental niches. The triploid parthenogenetic races are biased in their environmental niche towards those of the sexual races for which their genomes are biased and this dosage effect is apparent in both maternal lineages. Thus triploidy may have benefited the parthenogens through partial recovery of the parental niches. Although the parthenogens have a broader geographic distribution than their sexual progenitors, their environmental niche is narrower and biased towards one of the sexual races. In keeping with general patterns of geographic parthenogenesis. parthenogenetic H. binoei occupy a harsher environment than the sexual forms. occurring in regions of persistently low rainfall. Bioclimatic modelling suggests patterns of rainfall are important in limiting the distribution of sexual and parthenogenetic taxa. and extrapolation from the current bioclimatic profiles indicates potential for further eastward range expansion by the parthenogens.

A preliminary phylogenetic analysis of the Capsalidae (Platyhelminthes : Monogenea : Monopisthocotylea) inferred from large subunit rDNA sequences

Phylogenetic relationships within the Capsalidae (Monogenea) were examined Using large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences from 17 capsalid species (representing 7 genera, 5 subfamilies), 2 outgroup taxa (Monocotylidae) plus Udonella caligorum (Udonellidae). Trees were constructed using maximum likelihood, minimum evolution and maximum parsimony algorithms. An initial tree, generated from sequences 315 bases long, Suggests that Capsalinae, Encotyllabinae, Entobdellinae and Trochopodinae are monophyletic, but that Benedeniinae is paraphyletic. Analyses indicate that Neobenedenia, currently in the Benedeniinae, should perhaps be placed in 2 separate subfamily. An additional analysis was made which omitted 3 capsalid taxa (for which only short sequences were available) and all outgroup taxa because of alignment difficulties. Sequence length increased to 693 bases and good branch support was achieved. The Benedeniinae was again paraphyletic. Higher-level classification of the Capsalidae, evolution of the Entobdellinae and issues of species identity in Neobenedenia are discussed.

An analysis of the relationship between grain size, solute content, and the potency and number density of nucleant particles

To be able to determine the grain size obtained from the addition of a grain refining master alloy, the relationship between grain size (d), solute content (defined by the growth restriction factor Q), and the potency and number density of nucleant particles needs to be understood. A study was undertaken on aluminium alloys where additions of TiB2 and Ti were made to eight wrought aluminum alloys covering a range of alloying elements and compositions. It was found from analysis of the data that d = a/(3)root pct TiB2 + b/Q. From consideration of the experimental data and from further analysis of previously published data, it is shown that the coefficients a and b relate to characteristics of the nucleant particles added by a grain refiner. The term a is related to the maximum density of active TiB2 nucleant particles within the melt, while b is related to their potency. By using the analysis methodology presented in this article, the performance characteristics of different master alloys were defined and the effects of Zr and Si on the poisoning of grain refinement were illustrated.

Analysis of the effect of different NKT cell subpopulations on the activation of CD4 and CD8 T cells, NK cells, and B cells

Objective. NKT cells have diverse immune regulatory functions including activation of cells involved in Th1- and Th2-type immune activities. Most previous studies have investigated the functions of NKT cells as a single family but more recent evidence indicates the distinct functional properties of NKT cell subpopulation. This study aims to determine whether NKT cell subpopulations have different stimulatory activities on other immune cells that may affect the outcome of NKT cell-based immunotherapy. Methods. NKT cells and NKT cell subpopulations (CD4(+)CD8(-), CD4(-)CD8(+), CD4(-)CD8(+)) were cocultured with PBMC and their activities on immune cells including CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, NK cells, and B cells were assessed by flow cytometry. The production of cytokines in culture was measured by enzyme-linked immunsorbent assay. Results. The CD4(+)CD8(-) NKT cells demonstrated substantially greater stimulatory activities on CD4(+) T cells, NK cells, and B cells than other NKT cell subsets. The CD4(-)CD8(+) NKT cells showed the greatest activity on CD8(+) T cells, and were the only NKT cell subset that activated these immune cells. The CD4(-)CD8(-) NKT cells showed moderate stimulatory activity on CD4(+) T cells and the least activity on other immune cells. Conclusion. The results here suggest that NKT cell subpopulations differ in their abilities to stimulate other immune cells. This highlights the potential importance of manipulating specific NKT cell subpopulations for particular therapeutic situations and of evaluating subpopulations, rather than NKT cells as a group, during investigation of a possible role of NKT cells in various disease settings. (c) 2006 International Society for Experimental Hematology. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Reconstruction and in silico analysis of the MAPK signaling pathways in the human blood fluke, Schistosoma japonicum

At present, little is known about signal transduction mechanisms in schistosomes, which cause the disease of schistosomiasis. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, which are evolutionarily conserved from yeast to Homo sapiens, play key roles in multiple cellular processes. Here, we reconstructed the hypothetical MAPK signaling pathways in Schistosoma japonicum and compared the schistosome pathways with those of model eukaryote species. We identified 60 homologous components in the S. japoncium MAPK signaling pathways. Among these, 27 were predicted to be full-length sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of these proteins confirmed the evolutionary conservation of the MAPK signaling pathways. Remarkably, we identified S. japonicum homologues of GTP-binding protein beta and alpha-I subunits in the yeast mating pathway, which might be involved in the regulation of different life stages and female sexual maturation processes as well in schistosomes. In addition, several pathway member genes, including ERK, JNK, Sja-DSP, MRAS and RAS, were determined through quantitative PCR analysis to be expressed in a stage-specific manner, with ERK, JNK and their inhibitor Sja-DSP markedly upregulated in adult female schistosomes. (c) 2006 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An analysis of the images attached to referral messages in an e-mail based telemedicine system for developing countries

Little is known about the quality of the images transmitted in email telemedicine systems. The present study was designed to survey the quality of images transmitted in the Swinfen Charitable Trust email referral system. Telemedicine cases were examined for a 3 month period in 2002 and a 3 month period in 2006. The number of cases with images attached increased from 8 (38%) to 37 (53%). There were four types of images (clinical photographs, microscope pictures, notes and X-ray images) and the proportion of radiology images increased from 27 to 48%. The cases in 2002 came from four different hospitals and were associated with seven different clinical specialties. In 2006, the cases came from 19 different hospitals and 20 different specialties. The 46 cases (from both study periods) had a total of 159 attached images. The quality of the images was assessed by awarding each image a score in four categories: focus, anatomical perspective, composition and lighting. The images were scored on a five-point scale (1 = very poor to 5 =very good) by a qualified medical photographer. In comparing image quality between the two study periods, there was some evidence that the quality had reduced, although the average size of the attached images had increased. The median score for all images in 2002 was 16 (interquartile range 14-19) and the median score in 2006 was 15 (13-16). The difference was significant (P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney test).

Microarray and proteomic analysis of the human alcoholic brain

The superior frontal cortex (SFC) is selectively damaged in chronic alcohol abuse, with localized neuronal loss and tissue atrophy. Regions such as motor cortex show little neuronal loss except in severe co-morbidity (liver cirrhosis or WKS). Altered gene expression was found in microarray comparisons of alcoholic and control SFC samples [1]. We used Western blots and proteomic analysis to identify the proteins that also show differential expression. Tissue was obtained at autopsy under informed, written consent from uncomplicated alcoholics and age- and sex-matched controls. Alcoholics had consumed 80 g ethanol/day chronically (often, 200 g/day for 20 y). Controls either abstained or were social drinkers ( 20 g/day). All subjects had pathological confirmation of liver and brain diagnosis; none had been polydrug abusers. Samples were homogenized in water and clarified by brief centrifugation (1000g, 3 min) before storage at –80°C. For proteomics the thawed suspensions were centrifuged (15000g, 50 min) to prepare soluble fractions. Aliquots were pooled from SFC samples from the 5 chronic alcoholics and 5 matched controls used in the previous microarray study [1]. 2-Dimensional electrophoresis was performed in triplicate using 18 cm format pH 4–7 and pH 6–11 immobilized pH gradients for firstdimension isoelectric focusing. Following second-dimension SDS-PAGE the proteins were fluorescently stained and the images collected by densitometry. 182 proteins differed by 2-fold between cases and controls. 141 showed lower expression in alcoholics, 33 higher, and 8 were new or had disappeared. To date 63 proteins have been identified using MALDI-MS and MS-MS. Western blots were performed on uncentrifuged individual samples from 76 subjects (controls, uncomplicated alcoholics and cirrhotic alcoholics). A common standard was run on every gel. After transfer, immunolabeling, and densitometry, the intensities of the unknown bands were compared to those of the standards. We focused on proteins from transcripts that showed clear differences in a series of microarray studies, classified into common sets including Regulators of G-protein Signaling and Myelin-associated proteins. The preponderantly lower level of differentially expressed proteins in alcoholics parallels the microarray mRNA analysis in the same samples. We found that mRNA and protein expression do not frequently correspond; this may help identify pathogenic processes acting at the level of transcription, translation, or post-translationally.