Glass particles in footwear of members of the public in south-eastern Australia--a survey.

A total of 776 pairs of shoes collected from random members of the public in south-eastern Australia were examined for the presence of glass fragments. From the samples collected a total of 110 fragments were recovered from 57 pairs of shoes (7.3% of the pairs examined).

Cross-protection phenomenon in Escherichia coli strains harbouring cytotoxic necrotizing factors and cytolethal distending toxins.

Micro-organisms which are subjected to non-lethal stress can exhibit significantly greater resistance when both the same or an unrelated stress is subsequently reapplied. This latter phenomenon is termed 'cross-protection'. In experiments using three strains of Escherichia coli harbouring cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 and/or cytolethal distending toxin all three exhibited significantly greater (P < 0.

Resveratrol decreases early signaling events in washed platelets but has little effect on platelet in whole blood.

Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound found in red wines, is believed to be a contributor in decreasing the incidence of coronary heart disease. Although its primary target is unknown, it blocks aggregation of washed platelets by an ill-defined mechanism. We show that resveratrol, at 10-50 microM, blocked aggregation induced by collagen (5 microg/ml), thrombin (0.

NEAR at eros: imaging and spectral results.

Eros is a very elongated (34 kilometers by 11 kilometers by 11 kilometers) asteroid, most of the surface of which is saturated with craters smaller than 1 kilometer in diameter. The largest crater is 5.5 kilometers across, but there is a 10-kilometer saddle-like depression with attributes of a large degraded crater.

Threonine phosphorylation of the beta 3 integrin cytoplasmic tail, at a site recognized by PDK1 and Akt/PKB in vitro, regulates Shc binding.

The mechanism of outside-in signaling by integrins parallels that for growth factor receptors. In both pathways, phosphorylation of a cytoplasmic segment on tyrosine generates a docking site for proteins containing Src homology 2 (SH2) and phosphotyrosine binding domains. We recently observed that phosphorylation of a threonine (Thr-753), six amino acids proximal to tyrosine 759 in beta(3) of the platelet specific integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3), inhibits outside-in signaling through this receptor.

Effect of salinity on hatching, survival and infectivity of Anguillicola crassus (Nematoda: Dracunculoidea) larvae.

The effect of salinity on hatching, larval survival and infectivity of Anguillicola crassus was studied under experimental conditions using eggs obtained from naturally infected eels. Egg hatching rate, second-stage larval survival and larval infectivity were maximal in fresh water and declined with increase in salinity. Larvae survived up to 100 d in fresh water, 70 d in 50 % sea water and 40 d in 100% sea water.

Establishment of a smoking cessation programme in primary and secondary care in Canterbury.

Aims: Smokescreen for the 1990's is a smoking cessation programme devised for use in primary care in Australia. It is based on the 'readiness to change' model where smokers are categorised as being 'ready', 'unsure', or 'not ready' to quit smoking. Those in the 'ready' group are encouraged to set a quit date and offered nicotine replacement therapy.

Furosemide stimulates K transport in HCD57 erythroid cells.

We examined the influence of serum and furosemide on K movement and cell volume in HCD57 cells, a murine erythroleukemia cell line, which require erythropoietin (EPO) for survival. We found that maintenance of cell volume depends on the concentration of serum in the culture medium. In isotonic medium containing 20% serum, HCD57 cells maintain their steady-state volume.

Survival and transmission of Anguillicola crassus Kuwahara, Niimi & Itagaki, 1974 (Nematoda) in seawater eels.

The study aims were to quantify the survivorship of Anguillicola crassus in eels in seawater and investigate transmission in estuarine (50% seawater) and marine (100% seawater) simulated conditions. Most A. crassus were able to survive and reproduce in 50% and 100% seawater eels for up to 6 months and therefore could survive during the spawning migration of eels to the Sargasso Sea.

Effect of nutrient starvation on the resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to subsequent heat stress.

The resistance of three strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in their stationary growth phase to starvation (24 h in water at 37 degrees C) followed by a heat treatment (56 degrees C for up to 90 min) was determined. Starvation was found to increase significantly the resistance of two strains (NCTC 12079; eae+, VT1+, VT2+, and ATCC 43889 eae+, VT2+) but not the remaining strain (ATCC 43890 eae+, VT1+). Strain NCTC 12079 (only one tested) was shown to retain all of the three virulence factors after the two stresses.

Prevalence of hyperplastic articular pillars in the cervical spine and relationship with cervical lordosis.

Background: Cervical lordosis is often used as an indicator for a number of clinical conditions ranging from traumatic to degenerative. Previous research has indicated that a number of factors may change the lordosis. However, the link between hyperplastic articular pillars and cervical lordosis measurements has never been studied.

Mitochondrial genetic analyses suggest selection against maternal lineages in bipolar affective disorder.

Previous reports of preferential transmission of bipolar affective disorder (BP) from the maternal versus the paternal lines in families suggested that this disorder may be caused by mitochondrial DNA mutations. We have sequenced the mitochondrial genome in 25 BP patients with family histories of psychiatric disorder that suggest matrilineal inheritance. No polymorphism identified more than once in this sequencing showed any significant association with BP in association studies using 94 cases and 94 controls.

Genetic studies on Gadaba: a tribal population of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Blood samples were collected from Gadaba, a tribal population of Andhra Pradesh, South India, in order to examine the distribution of blood groups, red cell enzymes and the gammaglobulin polymorphism. Out of 20 genetic markers studied seven protein loci exhibited monomorphism. Surprisingly a case of a rare homozygous variant and twenty-one heterozygous variants at the phosphogluconate dehydrogenase locus (6-PGD), six variants at the phosphohexose isomerase locus (PHI) and a single case of phosphoglucomutase locus 1 (PGM 1) variant were observed.

Transient increase in the alpha3-isoform of Na,K-ATPase in rat erythroblastic cells.

Using immunoelectron microscopy and isoform-specific antibodies against Na,K-ATPase to study changes in Na,K-ATPase in rat erythroblastic cells during maturation, we unexpectedly observed numerous antigenic sites against the alpha3-isoform in the cytoplasmic phase. There was an increase in the number of alpha3-isoforms after denucleation of the erythroblast. The increase was transient.

Phosphorylation sites in the integrin beta3 cytoplasmic domain in intact platelets.

Protein seryl/threonyl phosphatase inhibitors such as calyculin A block inside-out and outside-in platelet signaling. Our studies demonstrate that the addition of calyculin A blocks platelet adhesion and spreading on fibrinogen, responses that depend on integrin alphaIIb beta3 signaling. We hypothesized that this reflects a change in alphaIIb beta3 structure caused by a specific state of phosphorylation.

Presence of immunoreactive alpha 3 subunit isoform of Na,K-ATPase in mitochondria of kidney.

Background: Sodium-potassium-adenosinetriphosphatase (Na,K-ATPase) is the primary membrane enzyme responsible for the reabsorption of sodium ions in the kidney. It is known that in the nephron the major subunit isoforms of Na,K-ATPase are alpha 1 and beta 1. Previous reports on the presence of alpha 2 and alpha 3 isoforms in the kidney were mixed and controversial.

Histopathology of Sanguinicola inermis infection in carp, Cyprinus carpio.

The histopathological response of carp to Sanguinicola inermis was investigated by serial sectioning laboratory infected fish up to 90 days post infection (d p.i.).

Results from the Mars Pathfinder camera.

Images of the martian surface returned by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) show a complex surface of ridges and troughs covered by rocks that have been transported and modified by fluvial, aeolian, and impact processes. Analysis of the spectral signatures in the scene (at 440- to 1000-nanometer wavelength) reveal three types of rock and four classes of soil. Upward-looking IMP images of the predawn sky show thin, bluish clouds that probably represent water ice forming on local atmospheric haze (opacity approximately 0.

Transcatheter closure of patent arterial ducts using controlled-release coils.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of transcatheter closure of patent arterial ducts using controlled-release coils.

Design: Transcatheter closure of patent arterial ducts was attempted in 52 patients using controlled-release coils.

Setting: For the study, four tertiary paediatric cardiology units were used, two of which were in the U.