Communicating with the community about grieving: A description and review of the foundations of a broken leg analogy of grieving

With loss permeating the lives of all people throughout the entire life span and its potential for serious long-term deleterious effects, providing effective care for those experiencing situations of loss would be an important element of any preventive community-based mental health promotion approach. The low use of mental health services by those confronted with loss, and the lack of such services in many areas, makes it imperative to enhance the competency of the broader community to provide appropriate care during times of loss. Contributory to such care is a sound knowledge of the literature concerning loss and grieving. The broken leg analogy of grief presented in this article integrates the traditional and emerging grief theories and empirical evidence into an analogy of grieving that can be easily communicated to the general community, is relevant to many losses. and vet upholds the differing positions concerning grieving held by various schools of psychiatric thought.

Conserved modularity and potential for alternate splicing in mouse and human Slit genes

The vertebrate Slit gene family currently consists of three members;Slit1,Slit2 and Slit3. Each gene encodes a protein containing multiple epidermal growth factor and leucine rich repeat motifs, which are likely to have importance in cell-cell interactions. In this study, we sought to fully define and characterise the vertebrate Slit gene family. Using long distance PCR coupled with in silico mapping, we determined the genomic structure of all three Slit genes in mouse and man. Analysis of EST and genomic databases revealed no evidence of further Slit family members in either organism. All three Slit genes were encoded by 36 (Slit3) or 37 (Slit1 and Slit2) exons covering at least 143 kb or 183 kb of mouse or human genomic DNA respectively. Two additional potential leucine-rich repeat encoding exons were identified within intron 12 of Slit2. These could be inserted in frame, suggesting that alternate splicing may occur in Slit2 A search for STS sequences within human Slit3 anchored this gene to D5S2075 at the 5' end (exon 4) and SGC32449 within the 3' UTR, suggesting that Slit3 may cover greater than 693 kb. The genomic structure of all Slit genes demonstrated considerable modularity in the placement of exon-intron boundaries such that individual leucine-rich repeat motifs were encoded by individual 72 by exons. This further implies the potential generation of multiple Slit protein isoforms varying in their number of repeat units. cDNA library screening and EST database searching verified that such alternate splicing does occur.

Therapeutic potential of selective superoxide dismutase mimetics

Selective superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetics are potentially useful in pathological conditions in which there is an overproduction of the superoxide anion O-2.(-). These pathological conditions include inflammation, ischemia/reperfusion, shock, various cardiovascular disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative disorders. A major step forward in this field was the development of small-molecule selective SOD mimetics that penetrate cell membranes, These selective SOD mimetics catalytically remove O-2.(-) without interfering with nitric oxide (NO), peroxynitrite (ONOO-) or other radicals such as hydroxyl radical or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). These selective SOD mimetics (SC-52608, SC-55858, M-40403 and M-40401) have been shown to have benefits in animal models of inflammation, ischemia/reperfusion, shock, thrombosis and diabetes. The next challenge with selective SOD mimetics is to develop therapeutic potential into therapeutic agents.

The therapeutic potential of endothelin-1 receptor antagonists and endothelin-converting enzyme inhibitors on the cardiovascular system

Clinical trials have established bosentan, an orally active non-selective endothelin (ET) receptor antagonist, as a beneficial treatment in pulmonary hypertension. Trials have also shown short-term benefits of bosentan in systemic hypertension and congestive heart failure. However, bosentan also increased plasma levels of ET-1, probably by inhibiting the clearance of ET-1 by endothelin type B (ET.) receptors, and this may mean its effectiveness is reduced with long-term clinical use. Preliminary data suggests that selective endothelin type A (ETA) receptor antagonists (BQ-123, sitaxsentan) may be more beneficial than the non-selective ET receptor antagonists in heart failure, especially when the failure is associated with pulmonary hypertension. Experimental evidence in animal disease models suggests that non-selective ET or selective ETA receptor antagonism may have a role in the treatment of athero-sclerosis, restenosis, myocarditis, shock and portal hypertension. In animal models of myocardial infarction and/or reperfusion injury, non-selective ET or selective ETA receptor antagonists have beneficial or detrimental effects depending on the conditions and agents used. Thus clinical trials of the nonselective ET or selective ETA receptor antagonists in these conditions are not presently warranted. Several selective endothelin-converting enzyme inhibitors tors have been synthesised recently, and these are only beginning to be tested in animal models of cardiovascular disease, and thus the clinical potential of these inhibitors is still to be defined.

Stressful animal housing conditions and their potential effect on sympathetic neurotransmission in mice

Although the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) plays a major role in mediating the peripheral stress response, due consideration is not usually given to the effects of prolonged stress on the SNS. The present study examined changes in neurotransmission in the SNS after exposure of mice (BALB/c) to stressful housing conditions. Focal extracellular recording of excitatory junction currents (EJCs) was used as a relative measure of neurotransmitter release from different regions of large surface areas of the mouse vas deferens. Mice were either group housed (control), isolation housed (social deprivation), group housed in a room containing rats (rat odor stress), or isolation housed in a room containing rats (concurrent stress). Social deprivation and concurrent stressors induced an increase of 30 and 335% in EJC amplitude, respectively. The success rate of recording EJCs from sets of varicosities in the concurrent stressor group was greater compared with all other groups. The present study has shown that some common animal housing conditions act as stressors and induce significant changes in sympathetic neurotransmission.

Leaf water relations of Eucalyptus cloeziana and Eucalyptus argophloia in response to water deficit

Leaf water relations responses to limited water supply were determined in 7-month-old plants of a dry inland provenance of Eucalyptus argophloia Blakely and in a humid coastal provenance (Gympie) and a dry inland provenance (Hungry Hills) of Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell. Each provenance of E. cloeziana exhibited a lower relative water content at the turgor loss point, a lower apoplastic water content, a smaller ratio of dry mass to turgid mass and a lower bulk modulus of elasticity than the single provenance of E. argophloia. Osmotic potential at full turgor and water potential at the turgor loss point were significantly lower in E. argophloia and the inland provenance of E. cloeziana than in the coastal provenance of E. cloeziana. There was limited osmotic adjustment in response to soil drying in E. cloeziana, but not in E. argophloia. Between-species differences in water relations parameters were larger than those between the E. cloeziana provenances. Both E. cloeziana provenances maintained turgor under moderate water stress through a combination of osmotic and elastic adjustments. Eucalyptus argophloia had more rigid cell walls and reached lower water potentials with less reduction in relative water content than either of the E. cloeziana provenances, thereby enabling it to extract water from dryer soils.

Acquisition and loss of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia over a 5-year period: effect of a triclosan/copolymer dentifrice

Objectives: The present study describes the natural history of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia over a 5-year period and the effect of a triclosan/copolymer dentifrice on these organisms in a normal adult population. Material and Methods: Subgingival plaque samples were collected from 504 adult volunteers. Probing pocket depths (PPD) and relative attachment levels were measured using an automated probe. Participants were matched for disease status (CPI), plaque index, age and gender, and allocated to receive either a triclosan/copolymer or placebo dentifrice. Re-examination and subgingival plaque sampling was repeated after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years. P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. intermedia were detected and quantitated using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Logistic regression and generalised linear modelling were used to analyse the data. Results: This 5-year longitudinal study showed considerable volatility in acquisition and loss (below the level of detection) of all three organisms in this population. Relatively few subjects had these organisms on multiple occasions. While P. gingivalis was related to loss of attachment and to PPD greater than or equal to3.5 mm, there was no relationship between A. actinomycetemcomitans or P. intermedia and disease progression over the 5 years of the study. Smokers with P. gingivalis had more PPD greater than or equal to3.5 mm than smokers without this organism. There was no significant effect of the triclosan dentifrice on P. gingivalis or A. actinomycetemcomitans . Subjects using triclosan were more likely to have P. intermedia than those not using the dentifrice; however this did not translate into these subjects having higher levels of P. intermedia and its presence was uniform showing no signs of increasing over the course of the study. Conclusion: The present 5-year longitudinal study has shown the transient nature of colonisation with P. gingivalis , A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. intermedia in a normal adult population. The use of a triclosan-containing dentifrice did not lead to an overgrowth of these organisms. The clinical effect of the dentifrice would appear to be independent of its antimicrobial properties.

Distribution of a nematocyst-bearing sponge in relation to potential coral donors

Haliclona sp. 628 (Demospongiae, Haplosclerida, Chalinidae), a sponge found on the reef slope below 5 in depth on the Great Barrier Reef, has two unusual characteristics. It contains a symbiotic dinoflagellate, Symbiodinium sp., similar in structure to the dinoflagellate found within Acropora nobilis (S. microadriaticum), and it contains coral nematocysts randomly distributed between the ectosome and endosome and usually undischarged in intact sponge tissue. Given the unusual occurrence of nematocysts in Haliclona sp. 628, the focus of this study was to determine the distribution of this species of sponge on the reef slope at Heron Island Reef in relation to the distribution of potential coral donors. A combination of line and belt transects was used to estimate the abundance of Halielona sp. 628 and a co-occurring congener, Haliclona sp. 1031, which does not contain nematocysts, at three widely separated sites on the reef slope at Heron Island Reef. The abundance of different types of substratum (sand, sand-covered coral rubble, dead A. nobilis, live A. nobilis, other live coral, and other dead coral) along the transects and the substratum to which each sponge colony was attached were also recorded. Despite the predominance of live A. nobilis and sand-covered rubble at all sites, between 30 and 55% of Haliclona sp. 628 colonies were attached to dead A. nobilis which comprised less than 8% of the available substratum along any transect. In contrast, Haliclona sp. 1031 was found significantly more frequently on other dead corals and less frequently on live A. nobilis than would be expected based on the availability of the different substrata in the sites. Potential explanations to account for the distribution of Haliclona sp. 628 in relation to potential coral donors are discussed.

Energetic costs of tail loss in a montane scincid lizard

Most species of lizards will shed their tails at the point of contact when grasped by a predator. We investigated the energetic consequences of tail loss by measuring lipids in a scincid lizard that stores energy in its tail for reproduction. Most of the lipids were concentrated in the proximal portion of the tail. Thus, partial tail loss may not severely affect energy stores if the distal portion of the tail is shed in predatory encounters. We also found that the width of the tail was a reliable non-invasive index of energy reserves in this species. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

The JK three-product cyclone - performance and potential applications

In spite of their wide application in comminution circuits, hydrocyclones have at least one significant disadvantage in that their operation inherently tends to return the fine denser liberated minerals to the grinding mill. This results in unnecessary overgrinding which adds to the milling cost and can adversely affect the efficiency of downstream processes. In an attempt to solve this problem, a three-product cyclone has been developed at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) to generate a second overflow in which the fine dense liberated minerals can be selectively concentrated for further treatment. In this paper, the design and operation of the three-product cyclone are described. The influence of the length of the second vortex finder on the performance of a 150-mm unit treating a mixture of magnetite and silica is investigated. Conventional cyclone tests were also conducted under similar conditions. Using the operational performance data of the three-product and conventional cyclones, it is shown that by optimising the length of the second vortex finder, the amount of fine dense mineral particles that reports to the three-product cyclone underflow can be reduced. In addition, the three-product cyclone can be used to generate middlings stream that may be more suitable for flash flotation than the conventional cyclone underflow, or alternatively, could be classified with a microscreen to separate the valuables from the gangue. At the same time, a fines stream having similar properties to those of the conventional overflow can be obtained. Hence, if the middlings stream was used as feed for flash flotation or microscreening, the fines stream could be used in lieu of the conventional overflow without compromising the feed requirements for the conventional flotation circuit. Some of the other potential applications of the new cyclone are described. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of potential biocontrol agents against Claviceps africana in vitro and in vivo

Undiluted culture filtrates of two commercial products of Trichoderma spp., Trichopel and Trichoflow, and two isolates of Penicillium citrinum completely inhibited the conidial germination of macroconidia of Claviceps africana , the cause of ergot or sugary disease of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in vitro . Similarly, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia completely inhibited macroconidial germination, with the former being more effective at high dilutions. In contrast, these bacterial isolates failed to inhibit infection in vivo in glasshouse tests with ergot-inoculated sorghum, but all fungal biocontrol agents (including an isolate of Epicoccum nigrum) reduced the severity of disease (percentage of infected spikelets per panicle), in some cases completely inhibiting the development of ergot. In a second glasshouse trial, optimum control was achieved when the biocontrol agents were applied 3-7 days before inoculation with conidia of C. africana .

Product form approximations for highly linear loss networks with trunk reservation

Admission controls, such as trunk reservation, are often used in loss networks to optimise their performance. Since the numerical evaluation of performance measures is complex, much attention has been given to finding approximation methods. The Erlang Fixed-Point (EFP) approximation, which is based on an independent blocking assumption, has been used for networks both with and without controls. Several more elaborate approximation methods which account for dependencies in blocking behaviour have been developed for the uncontrolled setting. This paper is an exploratory investigation of extensions and synthesis of these methods to systems with controls, in particular, trunk reservation. In order to isolate the dependency factor, we restrict our attention to a highly linear network. We will compare the performance of the resulting approximations against the benchmark of the EFP approximation extended to the trunk reservation setting. By doing this, we seek to gain insight into the critical factors in constructing an effective approximation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chromosomal gains and losses in ocular melanoma detected by comparative genomic hybridization in an Australian population-based study

To define the location of potential oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in ocular melanoma we carried out comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis on a population-based series of 25 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded primary tumors comprising 17 choroidal, 2 ciliary body, 4 iris, and 2 conjunctival melanomas. Twelve (48%) of the 25 melanomas showed no chromosomal changes and 13 (52%) had at least one chromosomal gain or loss. The mean number of CGH changes in all tumors was 3.3, with similar mean numbers of chromosomal gains (1.5) and losses (1.8). The highest number of chromosomal changes (i.e., nine) occurred in a conjunctival melanoma and included four changes not observed in tumors at any other ocular site (gains in 22q and 11p and losses in 6p and 17p). The most frequent gains in all primary ocular melanomas were on chromosome arm 8q (69%), 6p (31%) and 8p (23%) and the most frequent losses were on 6q (38%), 10q (23%), and 16q (23%). The most common pairing was gain in 8p and gain in 8q, implying a whole chromosome copy number increase; gains in 8p occurred only in conjunction with gains in 8q. The smallest regions of copy number alteration were mapped to gain of 8q21 and loss of 6q21, 10q21, and 16q22. Sublocalization of these chromosomal changes to single-band resolution should accelerate the identification of genes involved in the genesis of ocular melanoma.