Genetic structure of a reef-building coral from thermally distinct environments on the Great Barrier Reef

Adaptation to localised thermal regimes is facilitated by restricted gene flow, ultimately leading to genetic divergence among populations and differences in their physiological tolerances. Allozyme analysis of six polymorphic loci was used to assess genetic differentiation between nine populations of the reef-building coral Acropora millepora over a latitudinal temperature gradient on the inshore regions of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Small but significant genetic differentiation indicative of moderate levels of gene flow (pairwise F-ST 0.023 to 0.077) was found between southern populations of A. millepora in cooler regions of the GBR and the warmer, central or northern GBR populations. Patterns of genetic differentiation at these putatively neutral allozyme loci broadly matched experimental variation in thermal tolerance and were consistent with local thermal regimes (warmest monthly-averages) for the A. millepora populations examined. It is therefore hypothesized that natural selection has influenced the thermal tolerance of the A. millepora populations examined and greater genetic divergence is likely to be revealed by examination of genetic markers under the direct effects of natural selection.

Screening of obstructive and central apnoea/hypopnoea in children using variability: A preliminary study

Aim: Polysomnography (PSG) is the current standard protocol for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) investigation in children. Presently, there are limited reliable screening tests for both central (CE) and obstructive (OE) respiratory events. This study compared three indices, derived from pulse oximetry and electrocardiogram ( ECG), with the PSG gold standard. These indices were heart rate (HR) variability, arterial blood oxygen de-saturation (SaO(2)) and pulse transit time (PTT). Methods: 15 children (12 male) from routine PSG studies were recruited (aged 3 - 14 years). The characteristics of the three indices were based on known criteria for respiratory events (RPE). Their estimation singly and in combination was evaluated with simultaneous scored PSG recordings. Results: 215 RPE and 215 tidal breathing events were analysed. For OE, the obtained sensitivity was HR (0.703), SaO(2) (0.047), PTT (0.750), considering all three indices (0) and either of the indices (0.828) while specificity was (0.891), (0.938), (0.922), (0.953) and (0.859) respectively. For CE, the sensitivity was HR (0.715), SaO(2) (0.278), PTT (0.662), considering all indices (0.040) and either of the indices (0.868) while specificity was (0.815), (0.954), (0.901), (0.960) and (0.762) accordingly. Conclusions: Preliminary findings herein suggest that the later combination of these non-invasive indices to be a promising screening method of SDB in children.

Successful management of lymphangiomatosis and chylothorax in a 7-month-old infant

A 7-month old infant presented with an effusion and multiple lesions in his spleen. A diagnosis of lymphangiomatosis was made based on chylous effusion and an MRI demonstrating numerous enhancing lesions within the spleen on T2-weighed images. Conservative measures, including the withdrawal of feeds and octreotide, did not significantly reduce the rate of chyle production and increasing requirement for respiratory support. Resection of the patient's spleen and partial pleurectomy were associated with a dramatic improvement in his condition. At 27 months the patient was well with no evidence of further lymphangiomas or a recurrence of his chylothoraces.

Comparison of cultures from rectoanal-junction mucosal swabs and feces for detection of Escherichia coli 0157 in dairy heifers

Fecal culture for Escherichia coli 0157:H7 was compared to rectoanal mucosal swab (RAMS) culture in dairy heifers over a 1-year period. RAMS enrichment culture was as sensitive as fecal culture using immunomagnetic separation (IMS) (P = 0.98, as determined by a chi-square test). RAMS culture is less costly than fecal IMS culture and can yield quantitative data.

Using intervention time series analyses to assess the effects of imperfectly identifiable natural events: A general method and example

BACKGROUND: Intervention time series analysis (ITSA) is an important method for analysing the effect of sudden events on time series data. ITSA methods are quasi-experimental in nature and the validity of modelling with these methods depends upon assumptions about the timing of the intervention and the response of the process to it. METHOD: This paper describes how to apply ITSA to analyse the impact of unplanned events on time series when the timing of the event is not accurately known, and so the problems of ITSA methods are magnified by uncertainty in the point of onset of the unplanned intervention. RESULTS: The methods are illustrated using the example of the Australian Heroin Shortage of 2001, which provided an opportunity to study the health and social consequences of an abrupt change in heroin availability in an environment of widespread harm reduction measures. CONCLUSION: Application of these methods enables valuable insights about the consequences of unplanned and poorly identified interventions while minimising the risk of spurious results.

The effect of music therapy services on classroom behaviours of newly arrived refugee students in Australia

This pilot study examined the effects of a short-term music therapy program on the classroom behaviours of newly arrived refugee students who were attending an intensive 'English as a Second Language' secondary school. A cross-over design with two five-week intervention periods was employed with group music therapy sessions conducted one or two times per week. Data from the Behaviour Assessment Scale for Children were used to evaluate a range of positive and negative school behaviours. A significant decrease in externalising behaviours was found with particular reference to hyperactivity and aggression. No significant differences were found in other behaviours. Explanations and implications of these findings are discussed.

IGREJA DE CRISTO PENTECOSTAL NO BRASIL fundação, re(d)ação e teologia no contexto brasileiro de 1934 a 1986

O objetivo desse trabalho é investigar a compreensão do papel da Igreja e do fiel no mundo segundo as publicações da Igreja de Cristo Pentecostal no Brasil (ICPB) e interpreta os resul-tados em diálogo com o contexto social, cultural, econômico, político e religioso do Brasil da época. Como recorte temporal propõem-se os anos 1934-1986, o que contempla a época da chegada dos/as fundadores/as, Horace e Carolyn Ward, Chester e Rachel Miller e Annie e Russel Frew, vindos dos Estados Unidos; a época de Ernst Grimm, um pregador estoniano; e a época de José Pinto de Oliveira, primeiro brasileiro eleito superintendente geral. A ênfase nestas personalidades se torna também plausível por serem durante este tempo os principais escritores da igreja, autores e autoras dos textos a serem interpretados neste trabalho. A hipó-tese desse trabalho é que, paralelo à ascensão da liderança brasileira, ocorre uma crescente sen-sibilização para questões sociais, apesar de que esta dinâmica seja interrompida com o surgi-mento da ditadura militar a partir de 1964, mas, retomada já na década setenta do século pas-sado. Como método propõe-se a analisar o ensino teológico-doutrinário encontrado em publi-cações oficiais da ICPB, tais como os seus jornais oficiais, brasileiro e estadunidense, as suas edições da revista da Escola Dominical, as suas atas de convenções gerais, bem como livros e anotações e rascunhos de autoria dos/as pioneiros/as acima mencionados/as. Conclua-se que as teologias e análises do contexto encontradas nas publicações, justificam uma compreensão mais diversificada: por um lado, evidencia-se, em termos religiosos e políticos, uma maior pro-ximidade entre as posições defendidas pelos autores e as correntes mais conservadoras (ou até reacionárias) do país. Por outro lado, transparecem ao lado desse discurso dominante aborda-gens dissonantes e com o potencial de servirem de ponto de partida para uma atuação da ICPB e da sua membresia mais relevante na sociedade, inclusive a denuncia da injustiça socio-econômica, e que estes respectivos discursos são encontrados mais entre lideranças nacionais.

+Psychometric evaluation of the MacDQoL individualised measure of the impact of macular degeneration on quality of life

Background: The MacDQoL is an individualised measure of the impact of macular degeneration (MD) on quality of life (QoL). There is preliminary evidence of its psychometric properties and sensitivity to severity of MD. The aim of this study was to carry out further psychometric evaluation with a larger sample and investigate the measure's sensitivity to MD severity. Methods: Patients with MD (n = 156: 99 women, 57 men, mean age 79 ± 13 years), recruited from eye clinics (one NHS, one private) completed the MacDQoL by telephone interview and later underwent a clinic vision assessment including near and distance visual acuity (VA), comfortable near VA, contrast sensitivity, colour recognition, recovery from glare and presence or absence of distortion or scotoma in the central 10° of the visual field. Results: The completion rate for the MacDQoL items was 99.8%. Of the 26 items, three were dropped from the measure due to redundancy. A fourth was retained in the questionnaire but excluded when computing the scale score. Principal components analysis and Cronbach's alpha (0.944) supported combining the remaining 22 items in a single scale. Lower MacDQoL scores, indicating more negative impact of MD on QoL, were associated with poorer distance VA (better eye r = -0.431 p < 0.001; worse eye r = -0.350 p < 0.001; binocular vision r = -0.419 p < 0.001) and near VA (better eye r -0.326 p < 0.001; worse eye r = -0.226 p < 0.001; binocular vision r = -0.326 p < 0.001). Poorer MacDQoL scores were associated with poorer contrast sensitivity (better eye r = 0.392 p < 0.001; binocular vision r = 0.423 p < 0.001), poorer colour recognition (r = 0.417 p < 0.001) and poorer comfortable near VA (r = -0.283, p < 0.001). The MacDQoL differentiated between those with and without binocular scotoma (U = 1244 p < 0.001). Conclusion: The MacDQoL 22-item scale has excellent internal consistency reliability and a single-factor structure. The measure is acceptable to respondents and the generic QoL item, MD-specific QoL item and average weighted impact score are related to several measures of vision. The MacDQoL demonstrates that MD has considerable negative impact on many aspects of QoL, particularly independence, leisure activities, dealing with personal affairs and mobility. The measure may be valuable for use in clinical trials and routine clinical care. © 2005 Mitchell et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Regional representations in the EU:between diplomacy and interest mediation

What are regional representations in the European Union? What do they hope to achieve? Since the mid-1980s, sub-state actors in the EU such as county councils, Länder, Autonomous Communities, local, municipal and city authorities have been opening representative offices in Brussels – mini 'embassies' for their territories. Although on the surface these representations might look the same, in practice they operate according to very different dynamics. Whilst some rival national governments for a stake in EU policy development, others have more modest ambitions. This book offers a comprehensive assessment of the burgeoning phenomenon of regional representation in the EU. Considering evidence from old member states as well as those which joined the EU more recently, it looks at where strategies and aims differ, positioning various 'types' of representation closer to the work of embassies or to that carried out by lobbying groups. The author also considers how regional representations contribute to our understanding of multi-level governance in the EU.