Antifertility effect of tamoxifen as tested in the female bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata)

The administration of a potent antiestrogen, tamoxifen at a dose of 3 mg/kg body weight/day orally post-coitally to cycling mated bonnet monkeys(Macaca radiata) from days 18–30 of cycle resulted in inhibition of establishment of pregnancy in 9 out of 10 monkeys. Tamoxifen effect was not due to interference with luteal function. The effect was specific to tamoxifen as exogenously administered progesterone could not reverse it. In addition to suggesting a role for estrogen in maintenance of early pregnancy in the primate the present study could be a prelude to the development of an effective post-ovulatory approach for regulation of fertility in the human female

Analysis of the distribution of the number of bidders in construction contract auctions

The number of bidders, N, involved in a construction procurement auction is known to have an important effect on the value of the lowest bid and the mark up applied by bidders. In practice, for example, it is important for a bidder to have a good estimate of N when bidding for a current contract. One approach, instigated by Friedman in 1956, is to make such an estimate by statistical analysis and modelling. Since then, however, finding a suitable model for N has been an enduring problem for researchers and, despite intensive research activity in the subsequent thirty years little progress has been made - due principally to the absence of new ideas and perspectives. This paper resumes the debate by checking old assumptions, providing new evidence relating to concomitant variables and proposing a new model. In doing this and in order to assure universality, a novel approach is developed and tested by using a unique set of twelve construction tender databases from four continents. This shows the new model provides a significant advancement on previous versions. Several new research questions are also posed and other approaches identified for future study.

Improving the estimation of probability of bidder participation in procurement auctions

Anticipating the number and identity of bidders has significant influence in many theoretical results of the auction itself and bidders’ bidding behaviour. This is because when a bidder knows in advance which specific bidders are likely competitors, this knowledge gives a company a head start when setting the bid price. However, despite these competitive implications, most previous studies have focused almost entirely on forecasting the number of bidders and only a few authors have dealt with the identity dimension qualitatively. Using a case study with immediate real-life applications, this paper develops a method for estimating every potential bidder’s probability of participating in a future auction as a function of the tender economic size removing the bias caused by the contract size opportunities distribution. This way, a bidder or auctioner will be able to estimate the likelihood of a specific group of key, previously identified bidders in a future tender.

Positive results in a real-time PCR for type A influenza associated with the use of an inactivated vaccine.

A real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) test for the matrix gene of type A influenza viruses was used during the 2007 Australian equine influenza (EI) outbreak in order to confirm diagnosis and, later, eradication of the virus. During the EI outbreak, horses being exported required vaccination and individual proof of freedom from EI. At the end of the outbreak, positive results were obtained from four horses destined for export, because of contamination of the samples with the vaccine. This report highlights the need for EI testing and vaccination to occur on separate days and with the collection of swabs for testing to precede vaccination.

Role of prolactin(prl) in regulation of the nocturnal surge of testosterone (t) in the bonnet monkey (macaca radiata)

Earlier studies from this lebordory have shown thet adult male bonnet monkeys exhibit nychthemrel rhythmicity la the secretion of serum 'T' the levele reehlng peek by 22OOhr. Of the gonedotropine cnelyeed only serum PRL showed a concommitent increme with T(Biol.of Reprod. 24,814, 1981). In the present study mMinietretion of l rgobromocryptin (EBC) either by i.v.route(2mg)or by naeel l pr~(100~)reeulted in blockade of nocturnal increase of both PRL end T(Controle T-18.6ng/ml: PRL 130=29ng/ml: EBC treated T-2.2&1.2ng/ml; PRL n.d.to 15nng/ml). Adminietretion of N oPRL could not reverse the effect of EBC. Although, increaeed serum PRL induced by injection of Chlorprommine did not result in increase in serum 'T' during the dey time, the nocturnel 'T' surge could not be obeeerved. EBC treeted monkeys, however, showed normal testosterone response to exogenous hCG. These IeSUlte a0 SwgeStive of high levels of PRL me&in6 reeponeiveneee of testes to tonic levels of serum IX. (Aided by grant8 from ICMR, Kew Delhi, WHO, Geneva eld FPF, India).

The first five days: field and laboratory investigations during the early stages of the equine influenza outbreak in Australia, 2007.

Until August 2007, Australia was one of only three countries internationally recognised to be free of equine influenza (EI). This report documents the diagnosis of the first cases of EI in Australian horses and summarises the investigations that took place over the next 5 days. During that time, a multifocal outbreak was identified across eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. The use of an influenza type A pan-reactive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction allowed rapid confirmation of suspect cases of EI.

Gene expression evidence for off-target effects caused by RNA interference-mediated gene silencing of Ubiquitin-63E in the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus.

Knowledge of cattle tick (Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus; Acari: Ixodidae) molecular and cellular pathways has been hampered by the lack of an annotated genome. In addition, most of the tick expressed sequence tags (ESTs) available to date consist of similar to 50% unassigned sequences without predicted functions. The most common approach to address this has been the application of RNA interference (RNAi) methods to investigate genes and their pathways. This approach has been widely adopted in tick research despite minimal knowledge of the tick RNAi pathway and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) uptake mechanisms. A strong knockdown phenotype of adult female ticks had previously been observed using a 594 bp dsRNA targeting the cattle tick homologue for the Drosophila Ubiquitin-63E gene leading to nil or deformed eggs. A NimbleGen cattle tick custom microarray based on the BmiGI.V2 database of R. microplus ESTs was used to evaluate the expression of mRNAs harvested from ticks treated with the tick Ubiquitin-63E 594 bp dsRNA compared with controls. A total of 144 ESTs including TC6372 (Ubiquitin-63E) were down-regulated with 136 ESTs up-regulated following treatment. The results obtained substantiated the knockdown phenotype with ESTs identified as being associated with ubiquitin proteolysis as well as oogenesis, embryogenesis, fatty acid synthesis and stress responses. A bioinformatics analysis was undertaken to predict off-target effects (OTE) resulting from the in silico dicing of the 594 bp Ubiquitin-63E dsRNA which identified 10 down-regulated ESTs (including TC6372) within the list of differentially expressed probes on the microarrays. Subsequent knockdown experiments utilising 196 and 109 bp dsRNAs, and a cocktail of short hairpin RNAs (shRNA) targeting Ubiquitin-63E, demonstrated similar phenotypes for the dsRNAs but nil effect following shRNA treatment. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis confirmed differential expression of TC6372 and selected ESTs. Our study demonstrated the minimisation of predicted OTEs in the shorter dsRNA treatments (similar to 100-200 bp) and the usefulness of microarrays to study knockdown phenotypes.

Anisochrony of O-methylene protons of ethyl ester functions and structural factors in the connected chiral entities

(i) Incistrans pairs of cyclic 1,3-dicarboxylic acid ethyl esters thecis-foms exhibit higher O-methylene proton (HA, HB) anisochrony than thetrans-forms; (ii) anisochrony, easily observed in certain decalin-10-carboxylic ethyl esters, ‘disappears’ on one of the rings attaining the possibility of transforming into a ‘twist’ form; (iii) in certain pairs of chiralsecethyl esters and theirtert-methylated analogues anisochrony is higher in the latter, contrary to expectation, while, in certain others, the reverse is observed. Attempted explanations are based on assessments whether H A and H B are or are not in highly different magnetic environments in confomers regarded as preferred. This subsumes the possibility thatXYZC-CO2H A H B Me chiral ethyl acetates differ fromXYZC-CH A H B Me ethanes because intervention by the carboxyl group insulates the prochiral centre and allows anisotropic effects to gain somewhat in importance among mechanisms that discriminate between H A and H B so long as rotamerpopulation inequalities persist. Background information on why rotamer-population inequalities will always persist and on a heuristic that attempts to generalize the effects ofXYZ inXYZC - CU AUB V is provided. Possible effects when connectivity exists between a pair amongX, Y, Z or when specific interactions occur betweenV andX, Y orZ are considered. An interpretation in terms of ‘increasing conformational mobility’ has been suggested for the observed increase in the rate of temperature-dependence of O-methylene anisochrony down a series of chiral ethyl esters.

Tracking and identifying wastewater toxicants and assessing their biodegradation products

Screening of wastewater effluents from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants with biotests showed that the treated wastewater effluents possess only minor acute toxic properties towards whole organisms (e.g. bacteria, algae, daphnia), if any. In vitro tests (sub-mitochondrial membranes and fish hepatocytes) were generally more susceptible to the effluents. Most of the effluents indicated the presence of hormonally active compounds, as the production of vitellogenin, an egg yolk precursor protein, was induced in fish hepatocytes exposed to wastewater. In addition, indications of slight genotoxic potential was found in one effluent concentrate with a recombinant bacteria test. Reverse electron transport (RET) of mitochondrial membranes was used as a model test to conduct effluent assessment followed by toxicant characterisations and identifications. Using a modified U.S. EPA Toxicity Identification Evaluation Phase I scheme and additional case-specific methods, the main compound in a pulp and paper mill effluent causing RET inhibition was characterised to be an organic, relatively hydrophilic high molecular weight (HMW) compound. The toxicant could be verified as HMW lignin by structural analyses using nuclear magnetic resonance. In the confirmation step commercial and in-house extracted lignin products were used. The possible toxicity related structures were characterised by statistical analysis of the chemical breakdown structures of laboratory-scale pulping and bleaching effluents and the toxicities of these effluents. Finally, the biological degradation of the identified toxicant and other wastewater constituents was evaluated using bioassays in combination with chemical analyses. Biological methods have not been used routinely in establishing effluent discharge limits in Finland. However, the biological effects observed in this study could not have been predicted using only routine physical and chemical effluent monitoring parameters. Therefore chemical parameters cannot be considered to be sufficient in controlling effluent discharges especially in case of unknown, possibly bioaccumulative, compounds that may be present in small concentrations and may cause chronic effects.

Strategies for the management and treatment of coal seam gas associated water

Coal seam gas (CSG) is a growing industry in Queensland and represents a potential major employer and deliverer of financial prosperity for years to come. CSG is a natural gas composed primarily of methane and is found trapped underground in coal beds. During the gas extraction process, significant volumes of associated water are also produced. This associated water could be a valuable resource, however, the associated water comprises of various salt constituents that make it problematic for beneficial use. Consequently, there is a need to implement various water treatment strategies to purify the associated water to comply with Queensland’s strict guidelines and to mitigate environmental risks. The resultant brine is also of importance as ultimately it also has to be dealt with in an economical manner. In some ways it can be considered that the CSG industry does not face a water problem, as this has inherent value to society, but rather has a “salt issue” to solve. This study analyzes the options involved in both the water treatment and salt recovery processes. A brief overview of the constituents present in Queensland CS water is made to illustrate the challenges involved and a range of treatment technologies discussed. Water treatment technologies examined include clarification (ballasted flocculation, dissolved air flotation, electrocoagulation), membrane filtration (ultrafiltration), ion exchange softening and desalination (ion exchange, reverse osmosis desalination and capacitance deionization). In terms of brine management we highlighted reinjection, brine concentration ponds, membrane techniques (membrane distillation, forward osmosis), thermal methods, electrodialysis, electrodialysis reversal, bipolar membrane electrodialysis, wind assisted intensive evaporation, membrane crystallization, eutectic freeze crystallization and vapor compression. As an entirety this investigation is designed to be an important tool in developing CS water treatment management strategies for effective management in Queensland and worldwide.

Regulation of oxidative-stress responsive genes by arecoline in human keratinocytes

Background and Objective: Arecoline, an arecanut alkaloid present in the saliva of betel quid chewers, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory oral diseases, including oral submucous fibrosis and periodontitis. To understand the molecular b asis of arecoline action in epithelial changes associated with these diseases, we investigated the effects of arecoline on human keratinocytes with respect to cell growth regulation and the expression of stress-responsive genes.Material and Methods:Human keratinocyte cells (of the HaCaT cell line) were treated with arecoline, following which cell viability was assessed using the Trypan Blue dye-exclusion assay, cell growth and proliferation were analyzed using the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation assays, cell cycle arrest and generation of reactive oxygen species were examined using flow cytometry, and gene expression changes were investigated using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique. The role of oxidative stress, muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were studied using specific inhibitors. Western blot analysis was performed to study p38 MAPK activation.Results:Arecoline induced the generation of reactive oxygen species and cell cycle arrest at the G1/G0 phase in HaCaT cells without affecting the expression of p21/Cip1. Arecoline-induced epithelial cell death at higher concentrations was caused by oxidative trauma without eliciting apoptosis. Sublethal concentrations of arecoline upregulated the expression of the following stress-responsive genes: heme oxygenase-1; ferritin light chain; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit; and glutathione reductase.Additionally, there was a dose-dependent induction of interleukin-1alfa mRNA by arecoline via oxidative stress and p38 MAPK activation. Conclusion:our data highlight the role of oxidative stress in arecoline-mediated cell death, gene regulation and inflammatory processes in human keratinocytes.

Confirmed case of encephalitis caused by Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection in a horse

A 5-year-old Australian stock horse in Monto, Queensland, Australia, developed neurological signs and was euthanized after a 6-day course of illness. Histological examination of the brain and spinal cord revealed moderate to severe subacute, nonsuppurative encephalomyelitis. Sections of spinal cord stained positively in immunohistochemistry with a flavivirus-specific monoclonal antibody. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the envelope gene of flavivirus yielded positive results from brain, spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid, and facial nerve. A flavivirus was isolated from the cerebrum and spinal cord. Nucleotide sequences obtained from amplicons from both tissues and virus isolated in cell culture were compared with those in GenBank and had 96-98% identity with Murray Valley encephalitis virus. The partial envelope gene sequence of the viral isolate clustered into genotype 1 and was most closely related to a previous Queensland isolate.

Oxidative stability of phytosterols in food models and foods

An important safety aspect to be considered when foods are enriched with phytosterols and phytostanols is the oxidative stability of these lipid compounds, i.e. their resistance to oxidation and thus to the formation of oxidation products. This study concentrated on producing scientific data to support this safety evaluation process. In the absence of an official method for analyzing of phytosterol/stanol oxidation products, we first developed a new gas chromatographic - mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method. We then investigated factors affecting these compounds' oxidative stability in lipid-based food models in order to identify critical conditions under which significant oxidation reactions may occur. Finally, the oxidative stability of phytosterols and stanols in enriched foods during processing and storage was evaluated. Enriched foods covered a range of commercially available phytosterol/stanol ingredients, different heat treatments during food processing, and different multiphase food structures. The GC-MS method was a powerful tool for measuring the oxidative stability. Data obtained in food model studies revealed that the critical factors for the formation and distribution of the main secondary oxidation products were sterol structure, reaction temperature, reaction time, and lipid matrix composition. Under all conditions studied, phytostanols as saturated compounds were more stable than unsaturated phytosterols. In addition, esterification made phytosterols more reactive than free sterols at low temperatures, while at high temperatures the situation was the reverse. Generally, oxidation reactions were more significant at temperatures above 100°C. At lower temperatures, the significance of these reactions increased with increasing reaction time. The effect of lipid matrix composition was dependent on temperature; at temperatures above 140°C, phytosterols were more stable in an unsaturated lipid matrix, whereas below 140°C they were more stable in a saturated lipid matrix. At 140°C, phytosterols oxidized at the same rate in both matrices. Regardless of temperature, phytostanols oxidized more in an unsaturated lipid matrix. Generally, the distribution of oxidation products seemed to be associated with the phase of overall oxidation. 7-ketophytosterols accumulated when oxidation had not yet reached the dynamic state. Once this state was attained, the major products were 5,6-epoxyphytosterols and 7-hydroxyphytosterols. The changes observed in phytostanol oxidation products were not as informative since all stanol oxides quantified represented hydroxyl compounds. The formation of these secondary oxidation products did not account for all of the phytosterol/stanol losses observed during the heating experiments, indicating the presence of dimeric, oligomeric or other oxidation products, especially when free phytosterols and stanols were heated at high temperatures. Commercially available phytosterol/stanol ingredients were stable during such food processes as spray-drying and ultra high temperature (UHT)-type heating and subsequent long-term storage. Pan-frying, however, induced phytosterol oxidation and was classified as a rather deteriorative process. Overall, the findings indicated that although phytosterols and stanols are stable in normal food processing conditions, attention should be paid to their use in frying. Complex interactions between other food constituents also suggested that when new phytosterol-enriched foods are developed their oxidative stability must first be established. The results presented here will assist in choosing safe conditions for phytosterol/stanol enrichment.

Relaminarization in highly accelerated turbulent boundary layers

The mean flow development in an initially turbulent boundary layer subjected to a large favourable pressure gradient beginning at a point x0 is examined through analyses expected a priori to be valid on either side of relaminarization. The ‘quasi-laminar’ flow in the later stages of reversion, where the Reynolds stresses have by definition no significant effect on the mean flow, is described by an asymptotic theory constructed for large values of a pressure-gradient parameter Λ, scaled on a characteristic Reynolds stress gradient. The limiting flow consists of an inner laminar boundary layer and a matching inviscid (but rotational) outer layer. There is consequently no entrainment to lowest order in Λ−1, and the boundary layer thins down to conserve outer vorticity. In fact, the predictions of the theory for the common measures of boundary-layer thickness are in excellent agreement with experimental results, almost all the way from x0. On the other hand the development of wall parameters like the skin friction suggests the presence of a short bubble-shaped reverse-transitional region on the wall, where neither turbulent nor quasi-laminar calculations are valid. The random velocity fluctuations inherited from the original turbulence decay with distance, in the inner layer, according to inverse-power laws characteristic of quasi-steady perturbations on a laminar flow. In the outer layer, there is evidence that the dominant physical mechanism is a rapid distortion of the turbulence, with viscous and inertia forces playing a secondary role. All the observations available suggest that final retransition to turbulence quickly follows the onset of instability in the inner layer.It is concluded that reversion in highly accelerated flows is essentially due to domination of pressure forces over the slowly responding Reynolds stresses in an originally turbulent flow, accompanied by the generation of a new laminar boundary layer stabilized by the favourable pressure gradient.

Hanukkah lamp from Italy Coin

Obverse: 1 Lira silver coin. Reverse: Hanukkah lamp from Italy.