Authors' institutional affiliations in Australian intellectual and developmental disabilities journals: a comparison of two decades

The generation of new knowledge through research can contribute significantly to the improvement of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This study extends a previous study by Sigafoos, Roberts, and Couzens [Aust. N.Z.J. Dev. Disabil. 17 (1991) 331] by examining research productivity in intellectual and developmental disability in Australian journals for 1990-1999. Institutions that published research articles on intellectual and developmental disabilities in Australian journals in the 1990s were identified by noting the affiliations of authors. The most productive institutions were primarily universities in Australia and the United States of America. Publication trends in the decade of the 1990s are compared with trends of the previous decade (1980-1990). (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The application of cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP) with children 5-7 years with developmental coordination disorder

There has been an increase in the use of cognitive frameworks in occupational therapy with children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Investigations into the utility of one such cognitive approach, namely Cognitive Orientation to (daily) Occupational Performance (CO-OP), with children with DCD have shown the intervention to be effective with children over 7 years. However, there has been limited research into its utility with younger children. This paper presents two case studies to demonstrate the use of CO-OP with children aged 5-7 years. Two boys with DCD engaged in 10 sessions of CO-OP. These younger children were found to be able to use the global framework (Goal, Plan, Do, Check) to improve their task performance, to develop plans using domain-specific strategies and to engage in checking strategies. Issues relating to attention, motivation and goal setting are discussed in the context of the two case studies.

Evaluating parent use of functional communication training to replace and enhance prelinguistic behaviours in six children with developmental and physical disabilities

Purpose: To evaluate parent use of functional communication training (FCT) to replace and enhance prelinguistic behaviours in six young children with developmental and physical disabilities. Method: Initially, the communicative functions of the children's prelinguistic behaviours were assessed by parent interviews. Three communication functions were identified for each child and intervention goals to replace or enhance the child's existing prelinguistic behaviours were developed in consultation with parents. After a baseline phase, parents received training on implementation of FCT. Intervention was staggered across the three communicative functions in a multiple-probe design. Results: Intervention was associated with increases in the replacement communication behaviour. Treatment gains were generally maintained at the monthly follow-ups. Conclusion: The results suggest that parents can use FCT to enhance communication skills in children with developmental and physical disabilities.

Identifying and predicting adolescent smokers' developmental trajectories

Very few studies have defined trajectories of smoking. In the present study, we modeled growth in adolescent smoking and empirically identified prototypical trajectories. We conceptualized escalation of smoking as a growth process and modeled rates of change and heterogeneity of these patterns using latent growth mixture modeling. The analysis identified six trajectories with low ambiguity about group membership (early rapid escalators, late rapid escalators, late moderate escalators, late slow escalators-smokers, stable puffers, and late slow escalators-puffers). A trajectory of quitters was not identified. We also examined predictors of the smoking trajectories. The predictors were assessed across the adolescent years and included variables related to smoking and other substance use, as well as a range of variables related to sociodemographic factors and mental health. Observed change in the pattern of predictors across age has implications for the mechanism of effect of these variables in relation to smoking trajectories, including predictors that differentiated among daily smokers, variables that may determine the trajectory (e.g., friends smoking), and variables that may result from the trajectory (e.g., marijuana use, less attachment to friends).

Efficient developmental mis-targeting by the sporamin NTPP vacuolar signal to plastids in young leaves of sugarcane and Arabidopsis

Plant vacuoles are multi-functional, developmentally varied and can occupy up to 90% of plant cells. The N-terminal propeptide (NTPP) of sweet potato sporamin and the C-terminal propeptide (CTPP) of tobacco chitinase have been developed as models to target some heterologous proteins to vacuoles but so far tested on only a few plant species, vacuole types and payload proteins. Most studies have focused on lytic and protein-storage vacuoles, which may differ substantially from the sugar-storage vacuoles in crops like sugarcane. Our results extend the evidence that NTPP of sporamin can direct heterologous proteins to vacuoles in diverse plant species and indicate that sugarcane sucrose-storage vacuoles (like the lytic vacuoles in other plant species) are hostile to heterologous proteins. A low level of cytosolic NTPP-GFP (green fluorescent protein) was detectable in most cell types in sugarcane and Arabidopsis, but only Arabidopsis mature leaf mesophyll cells accumulated NTPP-GFP to detectable levels in vacuoles. Unexpectedly, efficient developmental mis-trafficking of NTPP-GFP to chloroplasts was found in young leaf mesophyll cells of both species. Vacuolar targeting by tobacco chitinase CTPP was inefficient in sugarcane, leaving substantial cytoplasmic activity of rat lysosomal beta-glucuronidase (GUS) [ER (endoplasmic reticulum)-RGUS-CTPP]. Sporamin NTPP is a promising targeting signal for studies of vacuolar function and for metabolic engineering. Such applications must take account of the efficient developmental mis-targeting by the signal and the instability of most introduced proteins, even in storage vacuoles.

Equine laminitis: increased transcription of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) occurs during the developmental phase

Reasons for performing study: The dysadhesion and destruction of lamellar basement membrane of laminitis may be due to increased lamellar metalloproteinase activity. Characterising lamellar metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and locating it in lamellar tissues may help determine if laminitis pathology is associated with increased MMP-2 transcription. Objectives: To clone and sequence the cDNA encoding lamellar MMP-2, develop antibody and in situ hybridisation probes to locate lamellar MMP-2 and quantitate MMP-2 transcription in normal and laminitis tissue. Methods: Total RNA was isolated, fragmented by RT-PCR, cloned into vector and sequenced. Rabbit anti-equine MMP-2 and labelled MMP-2 riboprobe were developed to analyse and quantitate MMP-2 expression. Results: Western immunoblotting with anti-MMP-2 detected 72 kDa MMP-2 in hoof tissue homogenates and cross-reacted with human MMP-2. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation detected MMP-2 in the cytoplasm of basal and parabasal cells in close proximity to the lamellar basement membrane. Northern analysis and quantitative real-time PCR showed MMP-2 expression significantly (P

Foraging behaviour of Helicoverpa armigera first instar larvae on crop plants of different developmental stages

Understanding how insect pests forage on their food plants can help optimize management strategies. Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lep., Noctuidae) is a major polyphagous pest of agricultural crops worldwide. The immature stages feed and forage on crops at all stages of plant development, damaging fruiting and non-fruiting structures, yet very little is known about the influence of host type or stage on the location and behaviour of larvae. Through semi-continuous observation, we evaluated the foraging (movement and feeding) behaviours of H. armigera first instar larvae as well as the proportion of time spent at key locations on mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] and pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh] of differing developmental stages: seedling- and mature (flowering/pod fill)-stage plants. Both host type and age affected the behaviour of larvae. Larvae spent more time in the upper parts of mature plants than on seedlings and tended to stay at the top of mature plants if they moved there. This difference was greater in pigeon pea than in mungbean. The proportion of time allocated to feeding on different parts of a plant differed with host and age. More feeding occurred in the top of mature pigeon pea plants but did not differ between mature and seedling mungbean plants. The duration of key behaviours did not differ between plant ages in either crop type and was similar between hosts although resting bouts were substantially longer on mungbeans. Thus a polyphagous species such as H. armigera does not forage in equivalent ways on different hosts in the first instar stage.

Getting the run around: accessing services for children with developmental co-ordination disorder

Background Accessing services for children with developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) is frequently difficult for parents who have to navigate both health and education systems to find a diagnosis and appropriate interventions. Method A qualitative study design incorporating a phenomenological perspective was utilized to understand the nature of the experiences of these parents in attempting to access support for their children with DCD. Twelve parents, whose children attended the Kids Skills Clinic at the University of Western Ontario and were identified as having DCD, were interviewed by the second author. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using constant comparative method. Member checking, peer checking and code-recoding were carried out to enhance rigour in data analysis. Results A number of themes emerged focusing on the common problems experienced leading to occupational therapy referral. Parents' journeys to seek and access services for their children with DCD were characterized by a sense of maternal knowing, experience of frustration, trivialization of the problem, a sense of 'going it alone', and 'getting the run around'. Conclusions Implications for health and educational professionals working with children, in terms of recognition of DCD and referral for services, are described.

Establishment of metanephros transplantation in mice highlights contributions by both nephrectomy and pregnancy to developmental progression

Background: It has been demonstrated that embryonic kidneys (metanephroi) xenotransplanted into the omentum of adult recipients continue to develop and display immune protection due to their more nave immune presentation. To date, this has been achieved using rat, pig and human metanephroi, with unilateral nephrectomy (UNX) of recipient rats a requisite of renal development. The aim of this study was to adapt this approach for use in mice and examine the parameters affecting successful onward development in this species. Methods: Metanephroi at embryonic age (E) 13.5 were transplanted either onto the body wall, abdominal fat pads or omentum of recipient isogenic C57/Bl6 mice using either sutures or polyglycolic acid mesh. Having established greatest success with polyglycolic acid mesh on the body wall, E12.5 and 15.5 days metanephroi from C57/Bl6 mice were then transplanted onto the body wall of control (non-pregnant non-UNX), UNX or 12.5 days post-coitum pregnant isogenic recipients. After 7 days, implanted tissue was harvested and examined using histology and immunohistochemistry for markers of renal maturation. The mean number of S-shaped bodies and glomeruli per section were recorded and statistically analysed for significant differences between all recipient groups and untransplanted metanephroi. The degree of development was scored qualitatively. Results: Transplanted E12.5 metanephroi developed S-shaped bodies and glomeruli in all recipient groups, although there were statistically higher numbers of S-shaped bodies in UNX (n = 2) and pregnant recipients (n = 9) than in control recipients (n = 4). Continued development, as indicated by mature vascularized glomeruli, was only observed in those E15.5 metanephroi transplanted into pregnant recipients (n = 11) with a 15.5-fold increase in S-shaped bodies and 4-fold increase in glomeruli compared with control transplants (n = 12). Conclusions: We have successfully established metanephros transplantation in mice and demonstrated enhancement of onward development of E12.5 metanephroi in response to both pregnancy and UNX. Using E15.5 metanephroi, continued development only occurred in pregnant recipients, implying pregnancy provides an environment conducive to continued organogenesis. This murine assay, when coupled with transgenically-tagged strains of mice, will allow the investigation of the relative contribution of donor and recipient cells to this process. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Developmental expression of two Haliotis asinina hemocyanin isoforms

Hemocyanins are large copper-containing respiratory proteins that play a role in oxygen transport in many molluscs. In some species only one hemocyanin isoform is present while in others two are expressed. The physiological relevance of these isoforms is unclear and the developmental and tissue-specific expression of hemocyanin genes is largely unknown. Here we show that two hemocyanin genes in the gastropod Haliotis asinina, which encode H. asinina hemocyanin (HaH1) and HaH2 isoforms, are developmentally expressed. These genes initially are expressed in a small number of mesenchyme cells at trochophore and pre-torsional veliger stages, with HaH1 expression slightly preceding HaH2. These cells largely are localized to the visceral mass, although a small number of cells are present in head and foot regions. Following metamorphosis the isoforms show overlapping as well as isoform-specific expression profiles, suggesting some degree of isoform-specific function.