Changes in atmospheric concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls between the 1990s and 2010s in an Australian city and the role of bushfires as a source

Over recent decades, efforts have been made to reduce human exposure to atmospheric pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) through emission control and abatement. Along with the potential changes in their concentrations resulting from these efforts, profiles of emission sources may have also changed over such extended timeframes. However relevant data are quite limited in the Southern Hemisphere. We revisited two sampling sites in an Australian city, where the concentration data in 1994/5 for atmospheric PAHs and PCBs were available. Monthly air samples from July 2013 to June 2014 at the two sites were collected and analysed for these compounds, using similar protocols to the original study. A prominent seasonal pattern was observed for PAHs with elevated concentrations in cooler months whereas PCB levels showed little seasonal variation. Compared to two decades ago, atmospheric concentrations of ∑13 PAHs (gaseous + particle-associated) in this city have decreased by approximately one order of magnitude and the apparent halving time ( t 1 / 2 ) was estimated as 6.2 ± 0.56 years. ∑6 iPCBs concentrations (median value; gaseous + particle-associated) have decreased by 80% with an estimated t 1 / 2 of 11 ± 2.9 years. These trends and values are similar to those reported for comparable sites in the Northern Hemisphere. To characterise emission source profiles, samples were also collected from a bushfire event and within a vehicular tunnel. Emissions from bushfires are suggested to be an important contributor to the current atmospheric concentrations of PAHs in this city. This contribution is more important in cooler months, i.e. June, July and August, and its importance may have increased over the last two decades.

Comments on: "The role of the social environment in psychiatric research: Outstanding challenges and future directions by Dana March, James Kirkbride, Wim Veling"

On 17 March 2009, we hosted a live discussion of fresh new ideas in the epidemiology of schizophrenia. Discussion leaders Dana March of Columbia University, James Kirkbride of the University of Cambridge, and Wim Veling of Parnassia Psychiatric Institute delivered a wide-ranging discussion of social factors such as migration, ethnicity, and urbanicity, but also asked how this research could benefit from genetic insights. Finally, they discussed possible biological mechanisms that might transduce social factors into psychosis

A role to play: Investigating concepts of masculinity in Australia through theatre

Health professionals, academics, social commentators and the media are increasingly sending the same message – Australian men are in crisis. This message has been supported by documented rises in alcoholism, violence, depression, suicide and crime amongst men in Australia. A major cause of this crisis, it can be argued, is an over-reliance on the out-dated and limited model of hegemonic masculinity that all men are encouraged to imitate in their own behaviour. This paper, as part of a larger study, explores representations of masculinity in selected works of contemporary Australian theatre in order to investigate the concept of hegemonic masculinity and any influence it may have on the perceived ‘crisis of masculinity’. Theatre is but one of the artistic modes that can be used to investigate masculinity and issues associated with identity. The Australia Council for the Arts recognises theatre, along with literature, dance, film, television, inter-arts, music and visual arts, as critical to the understanding and expression of Australian culture and identity. Theatre has been chosen in this instance because of the opportunities available to this study for direct access to specific theatre performances and creators and, also, because of the researcher’s experience, as a theatre director, with the dramatic arts. Through interviews with writers, directors and actors, combined with the analysis of scripts, academic writings, reviews, articles, programmes, play rehearsals and workshops, this research utilises theatre as a medium to explore masculinity in Australia.

The role of added sugar in a healthy diet and implications for health inequalities

The role of added sugar in a healthy diet and implications for health inequalities Sugars provide a readily available, inexpensive source of energy, can increase palatability and help preserve some foods. However added sugars also dilute the nutrient density of the diet. Further, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with increased risk of weight gain and reduced bone strength, and high or frequent consumption of added sugars is associated with increased risk of dental caries, particularly in infants and young children. The products of the 2013 NHMRC Dietary Guidelines work program at www.eatforhealth.gov.au include the comprehensive evidence base about food, diet and health relationships and the dietary modeling used to inform recommendations. This presentation will detail the scientific evidence underpinning the revised dietary recommendations on consumption of foods and drinks containing added sugar and compare recommendations with the most recently available relevant Australian dietary intake and trend data. Differences in intakes of relevant food and drinks across quintiles of social disadvantage and in particular between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups and non-Indigenous Australians will also be explored.

The purification and properties of peroxidase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and its possible role in the mechanism of action of isonicotinic acid hydrazide

Peroxidase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv was purified to homogeneity. The homogeneous protein exhibits catalase and Y (Youatt's)-enzyme activities in addition to peroxidase activity. Further confirmation that the three activities are due to a single enzyme was accomplished by other criteria, such as differential thermal inactivation, sensitivity to different inhibitors, and co-purification. The Y enzyme (peroxidase) was separated from NADase (NAD+ glycohydrolase) inhibitor by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The molecular weights of peroxidase and NADase inhibitor, as determined by gel filtration, are 240000 and 98000 respectively. The Y enzyme shows two Km values for both isoniazid (isonicotinic acid hydrazide) and NAD at low and high concentrations. Analysis of the data by Hill plots revealed that the enzyme has one binding site at lower substrate concentrations and more than one at higher substrate concentration. The enzyme contains 6g-atoms of iron/mol. Highly purified preparations of peroxidases from different sources catalyse the Y-enzyme reaction, suggesting that the nature of the reaction may be a peroxidatic oxidation of isoniazid. Moreover, the Y-enzyme reaction is enhanced by O2. Isoniazid-resistant mutants do not exhibit Y-enzyme, peroxidase or catalase activities, and do not take up isoniazid. The Y-enzyme reaction is therefore implicated in the uptake of the drug.

The role of fsh and lh in the initiation of ovulation in rats and hamsters: a study using rabbit antisera to ovine fsh and lh

The relative rôles of FSH and LH in ovulation induction in immature and adult cycling rats and hamsters have been evaluated. Both heterologous purified pituitary hormones and homologous crude pituitary extracts have been used as ovulatory stimuli in immature animals primed with PMSG. Well-characterized FSH and LH antisera have been used in the above model systems to achieve specific neutralization of FSH and LH. The present study revealed that LH is the physiological trigger needed for induction of ovulation in both rats and hamsters and FSH cannot, by itself, induce ovulation in the total absence of LH.

Consensus statement on the role of Accredited Exercise Physiologists within the treatment of mental disorders: A guide for mental health professionals

- Objective The aim is to identify the role and scope of Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) services in the mental health sector and to provide insight as to how AEPs can contribute to the multidisciplinary mental health team. - Methods A modified Delphi approach was utilised. Thirteen AEPs with experience in mental health contributed to the iterative development of a national consensus statement. Six mental health professionals with expertise in psychiatry, mental health nursing, general practice and mental health research participated in the review process. Reviewers were provided with a template to systematically provide feedback on the language, content, structure and relevance to their professional group. - Results This consensus statement outlines how AEPs can contribute to the multidisciplinary mental health team, the aims and scope of AEP-led interventions in mental health services and examples of such interventions, the range of physical and mental health outcomes possible through AEP-led interventions and common referral pathways to community AEP services. - Outcome AEPs can play a key role in the treatment of individuals experiencing mental illness. The diversity of AEP interventions allows for a holistic approach to care, enhancing both physical and mental health outcomes.

The role of triplet states in the emission mechanism of polymer light-emitting diodes

The blue emission of polyfluorene (PF)-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is known to degrade due to a low-energy green emission, which hitherto has been attributed to oxidative defects. By studying the electroluminescence (EL) from ethyl-hexyl substituted PF LEDs in the presence of oxygen and in an inert atmosphere, and by using trace quantities of paramagnetic impurities (PM) in the polymer, we show that the triplet states play a major role in the low-energy emission mechanism. Our time-dependent many-body studies show a large cross-section for the triplet formation in the EL process in the presence of PM, primarily due to electron-hole recombination processes.

Dynamics of Circulating Concentrations of Gonadotropins and Ovarian Hormones Throughout the Menstrual Cycle in the Bonnet Monkey: Role of Inhibin A in the Regulation of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Secretion

In higher primates, increased circulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels seen during late menstrual cycle and during menstruation has been suggested to be necessary for initiation of follicular growth, recruitment of follicles and eventually culminating in ovulation of a single follicle. With a view to establish the dynamics of circulating FSH secretion with that of inhibin A (INH A) and progesterone (P-4)secretions during the menstrual cycle, blood was collected daily from bonnet monkeys beginning day 1 of the menstrual cycle up to 35 days. Serum INH A levels were low during early follicular phase, increased significantly coinciding with the mid cycle luteinizing hormone (LH) surge to reach maximal levels during the mid luteal phase before declining at the late luteal phase, essentially paralleling the pattern Of P-4 secretion seen throughout the luteal phase. Circulating FSH levels were low during early and mid luteal phases, but progressively increased during the late luteal phase and remained high for few days after the onset of menses. In another experiment, lutectomy performed during the mid luteal phase resulted in significant decrease in INH A concentration within 2 hr (58.3 +/- 2 vs. 27.3 +/- 3 pg/mL), and a 2- to 3-fold rise in circulating FSH levels by 24 hr (0.20 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.53 +/- 0.14 ng/mL) that remained high until 48 hr postlutectomy. Systemic administration of Cetrorelix (150 mu g/kg body weight), a gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor antagonist, at mid luteal phase in monkeys led to suppression of serum INH A and P-4 concentrations 24 hr post treatment, but circulating FSH levels did not change. Administration of exogenous LH, but not FSH, significantly increased INH A concentration. The results taken together suggest a tight coupling between LH and INH A secretion and that INH A is largely responsible for maintenance of low FSH concentration seen during the luteal phase. Am. J. Primatol. 71:817-824, 2009.

Role of F-gravity in cosmological models

Abstract is not available.

Lymphatic vessels in health and disease: Role of the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 pathway and the transcription factor FOXC2

The circulatory system consists of two vessel types, which act in concert but significantly differ from each other in several structural and functional aspects as well as in mechanisms governing their development. The blood vasculature transports oxygen, nutrients and cells to tissues whereas the lymphatic vessels collect extravasated fluid, macromolecules and cells of the immune system and return them back to the blood circulation. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the developmental and functional regulation of the lymphatic system long lagged behind that of the blood vasculature. Identification of several markers specific for the lymphatic endothelium, and the discovery of key factors controlling the development and function of the lymphatic vessels have greatly facilitated research in lymphatic biology over the past few years. Recognition of the crucial importance of lymphatic vessels in certain pathological conditions, most importantly in tumor metastasis, lymphedema and inflammation, has increased interest in this vessel type, for so long overshadowed by its blood vascular cousin. VEGF-C (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C) and its receptor VEGFR-3 are essential for the development and maintenance of embryonic lymphatic vasculature. Furthermore, VEGF-C has been shown to be upregulated in many tumors and its expression found to positively correlate with lymphatic metastasis. Mutations in the transcription factor FOXC2 result in lymphedema-distichiasis (LD), which suggests a role for FOXC2 in the regulation of lymphatic development or function. This study was undertaken to obtain more information about the role of the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 pathway and FOXC2 in regulating lymphatic development, growth, function and survival in physiological as well as in pathological conditions. We found that the silk-like carboxyterminal propeptide is not necessary for the lymphangiogenic activity of VEGF-C, but enhances it, and that the aminoterminal propeptide mediates binding of VEGF-C to the neuropilin-2 coreceptor, which we suggest to be involved in VEGF-C signalling via VEGFR-3. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of VEGF-C increases tumor lymphangiogenesis and intralymphatic tumor growth, both of which could be inhibited by a soluble form of VEGFR-3. These results suggest that blocking VEGFR-3 signalling could be used for prevention of lymphatic tumor metastasis. This might prove to be a safe treatment method for human cancer patients, since inhibition of VEGFR-3 activity had no effect on the normal lymphatic vasculature in adult mice, though it did lead to regression of lymphatic vessels in the postnatal period. Interestingly, in contrast to VEGF-C, which induces lymphangiogenesis already during embryonic development, we found that the related VEGF-D promotes lymphatic vessel growth only after birth. These results suggest, that the lymphatic vasculature undergoes postnatal maturation, which renders it independent of ligand induced VEGFR-3 signalling for survival but responsive to VEGF-D for growth. Finally, we show that FOXC2 is necessary for the later stages of lymphatic development by regulating the morphogenesis of lymphatic valves, as well as interactions of the lymphatic endothelium with vascular mural cells, in which it cooperates with VEGFR-3. Furthermore, our study indicates that the absence of lymphatic valves, abnormal association of lymphatic capillaries with mural cells and an increased amount of basement membrane underlie the pathogenesis of LD. These findings have given new insight into the mechanisms of normal lymphatic development, as well as into the pathogenesis of diseases involving the lymphatic vasculature. They also reveal new therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of tumor metastasis and lymphatic vascular failure in certain forms of lymphedema. Several interesting questions were posed that still need to be addressed. Most importantly, the mechanism of VEGF-C promoted tumor metastasis and the molecular nature of the postnatal lymphatic vessel maturation remain to be elucidated.

Role of Eda and Troy pathways in ectodermal organ development

Several organs of the embryo develop as appendages of the ectoderm, the outermost layer of the embryo. These organs include hair follicles, teeth and mammary glands, which all develop as a result of reciprocal tissue interactions between the surface epithelium and the underlying mesenchyme. Several signalling molecules regulate ectodermal organogenesis the most important ones being Wnts, fi broblast growth factors (Fgfs), transforming growth factor -βs (Tgf-βs) including bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmps), hedgehogs (Hhs), and tumour necrosis factors (Tnfs). This study focuses on ectodysplasin (EDA), a signalling molecule of the TNF superfamily. The effects of EDA are mediated by its receptor EDAR, an intracellular adapter protein EDARADD, and downstream activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-кB). Mice deficient in Eda (Tabby mice), its receptor Edar (downless mice) or Edaradd (crinkled mice) show identical phenotypes characterised by defective ectodermal organ development. These mouse mutants serve as models for the human syndrome named hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) that is caused by mutations either in Eda, Edar or Edaradd. The purpose of this study was to characterize the ectodermal organ phenotype of transgenic mice overexpressing of Eda (K14-Eda mice), to study the role of Eda in ectodermal organogenesis using both in vivo and in vitro approaches, and to analyze the potential redundancy between the Eda pathway and other Tnf pathways. The results suggest that Eda plays a role during several stages of ectodermal organ development from initiation to differentiation. Eda signalling was shown to regulate the initiation of skin appendage development by promoting appendageal cell fate at the expense of epidermal cell fate. These effects of Eda were shown to be mediated, at least in part, through the transcriptional regulation of genes that antagonized Bmp signalling and stimulated Shh signalling. It was also shown that Eda/Edar signalling functions redundantly with Troy, which encodes a related TNF receptor, during hair development. This work has revealed several novel aspects of the function of the Eda pathway in hair and tooth development, and also suggests a previously unrecognized role for Eda in mammary gland development.

The role of moral disengagement in underage drinking and heavy episodic drinking

Objectives The current study had two aims. First, to develop a moral disengagement scale contextualized to underage drinking. Second, to investigate Bandura’s (1986) self-regulatory model within the context of underage drinking. Method Two different samples of students participated in the study. The first sample included 619 (362 females) adolescents (Mage = 15.3 years, SD = 1.09 years) and the second sample 636 (386 females) adolescents (Mage = 15.3 years, SD = 1.03 years). Students in the first sample completed the Underage Drinking Disengagement Scale (UDDS), and measures of engagement in underage drinking and heavy episodic drinking. Students in the second sample completed these measures as well as scales of general moral disengagement, personal standards and anticipatory guilt associated with underage drinking. Results For the UDDS, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses verified a single factor structure. The UDDS was more strongly associated with engagement in underage drinking and heavy episodic drinking than a general measure of moral disengagement. A moderated mediation analysis revealed that adolescents who negatively evaluated underage drinking reported more anticipatory guilt, and more anticipatory guilt was associated with less engagement in underage drinking and less heavy episodic drinking. This relationship was weaker at high compared to low levels of underage drinking disengagement. Conclusions/Importance Understanding how adolescents self-regulate their drinking, and ways that such self-regulation may be deactivated or disengaged, may help identify those adolescents at increased risk of drinking underage and of engaging in heavy episodic drinking.