Harnessing health information in the Third World.

The provision of technical information on health in developing countries is discussed, with particular reference to the Diarrhoeal Diseases Information Services Centre in Bangladesh. Progress towards meeting the pressing needs of the Third World in this field can undoubtedly be made by increasing the use of micrographic, computer and videodisc technologies and by reorganizing and promoting the facilities on offer.

PIP: The provision of health information in developing countries is hampered unless librarians act as facilitators for information-seekers. Awareness of the needs of users, of new technologies to meet these needs, of techniques of information retrieval, and of the necessity to provide access to information for all members of the health community is vital for the growth of viable health systems. Good examples of information dissemination at work are 1) the International Nutrition Centre in Central American and Panama filling 900 requests for information on child survival each year; 2) the Organisme de Recherches sur l'Alimentation et la Nutrition Africaines in Dakar, Senegal, publishing a list every 3 months of recent acquisitions in the field of nutrition and management of diarrhea; 3) the USAID-funded center to support health planning in Ouagadougou; 4) a multisectoral documentation center for the Sahel in Mali; 5) the International Water and Sanitation Centre in The Hague dispensing information on water and sanitation in developing countries; 6) the Center International de l'Enfance in Paris providing information on child health in 3 languages; 7) the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok coordinating for the Environment Sanitation Information Center; and 8) the Appropriate Health Resource sand Technologies Action Group publishing newsletters on health topics in 8 languages for 650,000 readers. Good sources of information on diarrheal disease are the Department of Community Medicine of Godjah Mada University in Indonesia and the Information Center on Diarrheal Disease of the Philippine Department of Health. An especially important information source is the Diarrheal Disease Information Services Center in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1982, this center is known for its regional and international networking. Funding from the Canadian International Development Research Centre permitted the purchase of computers; the publication of a quarterly journal on diarrhoeal disease, bibliographies, a directory of Asian specialists, and a review of research projects; as well as the development of a documents library. Additional funding, received in 1988 from the Swiss Development Cooperation, supported new programs including the acquisition of CD-ROM databases and the technology to create specific bibliographies on demand. Modern micrographic, computer, and videodisc technologies, allow developing countries to meet their communication needs while bypassing conventional methods. In large regions which lack adequate information facilities, politicians and administrators must be convinced of the importance of health literature services. Such service should be integrated at the national level and be brought to the attention of the local health community and the population at large.

Polyamine metabolism in 'green-islands' on powdery mildew-infected barley leaves: possible interactions with senescence.

Polyamine metabolism, lipoxygenase and catalase activities and ethylene production were examined in green-islands induced to form on detached barley leaves infected with the powdery mildew fungus, Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei Marchal. Several-fold increases in free polyamines were detected in green-islands, which could not be accounted for by changes in polyamine biosynthetic and degradative enzymes: a small increase in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, greatly decreased arginine decarboxylase (ADC) activity, virtually unchanged activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) and greatly increased polyamine oxidase (PAO) activity. Changes in conjugated forms of polyamines suggest that elevated free polyamine concentrations might result from reductions in this pool. Green-island tissues displayed a reduced activity of lipoxygenase, unchanged catalase activity and a greatly lowered rate of ethylene production. Chlorophyll concentration and rates of photosynthesis and dark respiration were slightly increased in these tissues. In senescing regions of infected leaves, there was a small increase in free putrescine and spermine and a decrease in spermidine concentration, while concentrations of conjugated polyamines were substantially reduced. This was accompanied by an overall decrease in ODC and ADC activities and an increased activity of both AdoMetDC and PAO. These regions exhibited lowered lipoxygenase activity, greatly enhanced catalase activity and reduced rates of ethylene production. In addition, senescing regions exhibited a substantial reduction in chlorophyll concentration and the rate of photosynthesis, although dark respiration was similar to control values. These results support the view that green-islands represent areas of the infected leaf where senescence is retarded, biosynthetic activity is retained and in which polyamines may play an important role. On the other hand, although polyamine concentrations were reduced in senescing areas, other changes occurring there suggest that some functional integrity is maintained in that tissue.