Movement ecology of an endangered mesopredator in a mining landscape.

BACKGROUND: Efficient movement and energy expenditure are vital for animal survival. Human disturbance can alter animal movement due to changes in resource availability and threats. Some animals can exploit anthropogenic disturbances for more efficient movement, while others face restricted or inefficient movement due to fragmentation of high-resource habitats, and risks associated with disturbed habitats. Mining, a major anthropogenic disturbance, removes natural habitats, introduces new landscape features, and alters resource distribution in the landscape. This study investigates the effect of mining on the movement of an endangered mesopredator, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). Using GPS collars and accelerometers, we investigate their habitat selection and energy expenditure in an active mining landscape, to determine the effects of this disturbance on northern quolls. METHODS: We fit northern quolls with GPS collars and accelerometers during breeding and non-breeding season at an active mine site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We investigated broad-scale movement by calculating the movement ranges of quolls using utilisation distributions at the 95% isopleth, and compared habitat types and environmental characteristics within observed movement ranges to the available landscape. We investigated fine-scale movement by quolls with integrated step selection functions, assessing the relative selection strength for each habitat covariate. Finally, we used piecewise structural equation modelling to analyse the influence of each habitat covariate on northern quoll energy expenditure. RESULTS: At the broad scale, northern quolls predominantly used rugged, rocky habitats, and used mining habitats in proportion to their availability. However, at the fine scale, habitat use varied between breeding and non-breeding seasons. During the breeding season, quolls notably avoided mining habitats, whereas in the non-breeding season, they frequented mining habitats equally to rocky and riparian habitats, albeit at a higher energetic cost. CONCLUSION: Mining impacts northern quolls by fragmenting favoured rocky habitats, increasing energy expenditure, and potentially impacting breeding dispersal. While mining habitats might offer limited resource opportunities in the non-breeding season, conservation efforts during active mining, including the creation of movement corridors and progressive habitat restoration would likely be useful. However, prioritising the preservation of natural rocky and riparian habitats in mining landscapes is vital for northern quoll conservation.

Recurrent ACTG2 gene variation in African degenerative visceral leiomyopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Visceral myopathies remain difficult and frustrating clinical entities, a distinctive form of acquired degenerative visceral myopathy, African degenerative leiomyopathy, a myogenic functional intestinal obstruction without aganglionosis which affects smooth muscle of the intestine, in young indigenous African children. The Actin G2 gene is the main gene encoding smooth muscle actin found in enteric tissues. Recent research has identified Actin G2 alpha gene variation as an important causative biomarker in visceral myopathies and megacystis microcolon. This study of the Actin G2 gene (ACTG2) in an African population explores a possible molecular basis abnormal muscle function in a visceral myopathy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Following ethical permission and informed consent, DNA was extracted from whole blood samples in five patients with histologically proven African degenerative leiomyopathy. PCR amplification of ACTG2 alpha gene products by semi-automated bi-directional sequencing analysis. Results were analysed using FinchTV Sequence Alignment Software and predicting bioinformatic investigation by PolyPhen 2 software. RESULTS: Five new patients with the ADL phenotypes were prospectively investigated for variation in the Actin G2 gamma gene (ACTG2). ACTG2 gene variation occurred in exon 5 (c.463 A>G K119R), in three (60%). In addition, intronic variation t > c-IVS3 was identified in three with the K119 mutation plus further g > c -IVS12 and t > c + IVS16(2), suggesting a possible haplotype. Bioinformatic modelling showed that these ACTG2 gene variations are highly non-conservative altering protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent Actin G2 smooth muscle gene variation in African degenerative visceral leiomyopathy is associated with abnormal muscle actin development.

Sputum induction for microbiological diagnosis of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis in a community setting.

SETTING: Sputum induction has increasingly enabled microbiological confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in hospitalised children, but it has not been evaluated in a community setting. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the yield, feasibility and safety of sputum induction for the diagnosis of TB in children in a primary health care facility. DESIGN: A prospective study in a primary health care clinic in South Africa from April 2007 to June 2009. Consecutive children with clinically suspected PTB, with a household adult PTB contact or human immunodeficiency virus infected with respiratory symptoms were enrolled. History, clinical examination, tuberculin skin test and chest X-ray results were recorded. Two sequential induced sputum specimens were obtained for smear and culture. RESULTS: A total of 270 children were enrolled (median age 38 months); sputum induction was successful in 269 (99%); 65 (24%) children were clinically diagnosed, of whom 11 (16.9%) were microbiologically confirmed. An additional 18 children not clinically diagnosed had microbiological confirmation of PTB and were placed on TB treatment thereafter, increasing the diagnostic yield by 21.6%, from 65 to 83 cases. Sputum induction procedures were well tolerated; no major adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: Sputum induction is feasible and safe in a community setting. Sputum induction was useful for making a microbiological diagnosis, increasing the number of children diagnosed and treated for PTB.

Bilaterality in anterior cruciate ligament injuries: associated intercondylar notch stenosis.

Nonsimultaneous, bilateral ACL injuries are not uncommon. We studied a group of patients with these injuries to determine possible predisposing factors that could aid in early detection and prevention of contralateral ACL injury. Retrospective analysis of 1,120 patients with ACL ruptures who were treated between 1983 and 1987 revealed 45 patients with bilateral ruptures. Complete follow-up data were available for 41 of these patients. We examined age at initial injury, sex, interval between initial and contralateral ACL injury, mechanism of injury, activity at injury, medical and family histories, treatment of initial injury, and radiographic measurement of intercondylar notch width. The overall incidence of bilaterality was 4.01% in the 28 male and 13 female patients. Their average age was 19 years and 10 months. The average interval between initial and contralateral injury was 47 months. A noncontact cutting maneuver was the most common mechanism of injury. We devised a method to measure and compare intercondylar notch widths on plain radiographs. We compared the mean notch width index (NWI) of the bilateral group to the mean NWI of a group of 50 consecutive patients with "normal" knees and to the mean NWI of 50 consecutive patients with acute ACL ruptures. The mean NWI for the normal group was .2338, for the acute ACL group, .2248, and for the bilateral group, .1961. We noted a statistically significant difference when we compared the bilateral group to the normal and acute groups (P less than 0.0001, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between the NWI of the normal and acute ACL groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In vitro fertilization in a community hospital.

Blodgett Memorial Medical Center began developing an IVF program in September of 1982. It took 10 months to establish animal and human IVF laboratories and an andrology laboratory. All personnel were recruited from within the hospital. From August 1983 through March 1985, 49 patients went through 58 complete IVF laparoscopy cycles. hMG and hCG were used to stimulate folliculogenesis and ovum maturation. An average of 5.2 oocytes was obtained by laparoscopic follicular aspiration. Eighty-four percent were either mature or intermediate oocytes. The fertilization rate per oocyte was 67%. Eighty percent underwent cleavage. Forty-seven patients (81%) received 1 or more embryos, with an average of 2.8 embryos each. There have been 12 pregnancies, including 3 abortions and 3 multiple pregnancies. Eight healthy infants have been born to date. The pregnancy rate per laparoscopy cycle was 21% and per transfer cycle was 26%. As a result of the IVF program, other services for infertile couples have been developed.

Noninstitutional treatment for sex offenders in Florida.

The authors describe the availability and characteristics of noninstitutional treatment for sex offenders found in a survey of 63 community mental health providers in Florida. The results cover offense categories, referral sources, numbers in treatment, annual case load, and program characteristics. More sex offenders were being treated in the community than in state-operated residential programs, and 21% of the patients currently receiving community treatment were self-referred. The authors recommend that researchers and policy makers direct more attention to community treatment of sex offenders, its efficacy, and training for those delivering the treatment.

The human leucocyte P30 antigen: properties and assessment of value as a clonal marker.

FMC3 and FMC29 are monoclonal antibodies which react with a 30,000 Dalton molecule expressed on the lymphocyte surface membrane. The molecule is a protein which does not appear to be N-glycosylated. The antigen, which is also expressed intracellularly, does not appear to be a marker of differentiation or maturation. Polyclonal cell populations, such as peripheral blood lymphocytes, show a bimodal distribution of surface antigen density, whilst monoclonal cell populations analysed quantitatively showed unimodal antigen density distributions. This suggests the antigen may be a clonal marker.

Influence of meptazinol on metabolic and hormonal responses following major surgery. A comparison with morphine.

Opioid drugs in high doses can obtund the stress response to major surgery but only at the expense of marked cardiorespiratory depression. The postoperative hormonal response to surgical stress was measured in 20 patients undergoing hysterectomy who were given either meptazinol 100 mg or morphine 15 mg intramuscularly at the end of the surgery. Both drugs at the doses used failed to diminish the stress response. Those patients who received meptazinol showed elevated prolactin levels: this may be an indicator of agonist activity at the mu 1 opioid receptor.

Analysis of chemical and biochemical properties of membrane molecules in situ by analytical flow cytometry with monoclonal antibodies.

Methods are described for analysing chemical and biochemical properties of membrane antigens against which monoclonal antibodies are available. The methods are based on gentle manipulation of whole viable cells and quantitative flow cytometric fluorescence analysis of the effect of such treatment on monoclonal antibody binding. Proteolytic enzymes, glycosidases, inhibitors of biosynthesis and various mild chemical treatments have been used to derive information on the chemical nature of individual membrane antigens, their insertion in the membrane, and their turnover. The nature of the particular epitope detected by a monoclonal antibody may be probed in a similar way.

The antigen of mature human B cells detected by the monoclonal antibody FMC7: studies on the nature of the antigen and modulation of its expression.

The monoclonal antibody FMC7 delineates a subpopulation of B lymphocytes in normal blood. Expression of the antigen recognized by FMC7 appears to be maturation-linked, and it serves to distinguish different types of B cell leukemia. The data presented here indicate that the antigen is a protein that is integrated in the cell membrane and that is able to interact with the cytoskeleton. The antigen is rapidly synthesized and turned over, is not cell cycle-dependent, and is relatively resistant to changes induced by culture in the presence of a phorbol ester.

Lymphocyte sub-populations in human cord blood: analysis with monoclonal antibodies.

Lymphocytes and monocytes in human cord blood have been analysed using a panel of fourteen monoclonal antibodies. Contrary to earlier data based on the sheep erythrocyte rosette assay for T cells, no marked deficit in T cells was found in cord as compared with adult blood. The T cells in cord blood had a relatively immature phenotype whereas B cells showed a mature phenotype. The phenotypic differences between adult and cord blood appear minor in relation to the marked functional differences reported by others.

Maturation of human B lymphocytes--studies with a panel of monoclonal antibodies against membrane antigens.

The expression of six different membrane markers by cells of the human B lymphocyte lineage has been studied, using monoclonal antibodies. B cells representing various stages of differentiation/maturation have been examined, using normal cells, leukaemia cells, and continuous cell lines. The expression of the six markers has been compared with maturation stages defined by immunoglobulin expression. The HLA/beta 2-microglobulin complex is present throughout the B cell lineage, whilst the Ia (p28,33) marker is present from the earliest stage that can be attributed to the B lineage, but is lost during plasma cell differentiation. A marker detected by monoclonal antibody FMC 1 is present only on mature B lymphocytes, being absent from pre-B cells or plasma cells. FMC 7 detects an antigen found on a relatively mature subpopulation, whereas FMC 8 detects early as well as mature B cells. FMC 3 expression is found on a proportion of cells at any maturation stage, suggesting that expression of this marker is controlled by factors unrelated to maturation.

Cyclotron production of 128Cs (3.62 min). A new positron-emitting radionuclide for medical applications.

The cyclotron production of the short-lived positron emitter 128Cs (3.62 min) from its longer-lived parent 128Ba (2.42 d), based upon the 133Cs(p, 6n) 128Ba leads to 128Cs reaction (Q = -43.98 MeV), has been studied. Cesium-128 has potential applications in positron tomography, particularly for imaging the myocardium and/or for the assessment of regional blood flow. Thick-target yields (mCi/muAh) and cross sections (mb) for 128Ba, 131Ba, 129Cs and 132Cs were measured in the 67-36 MeV proton-energy region. Cyclotron production of 128Ba-128Cs (transient equilibrium) was measured as 3.1 mCi/muAh at end of bombardment (EOB) with a 2.32 g cm-2 thick CsCl target with a proton entrance energy of 67 MeV and exit energy of 54 MeV. Target-radiochemistry using ion-exchange methods allow the preparation of a generator-type system from which high-radionuclidic purity, radiopharmaceutical quality, no-carrier-added 128Cs can be obtained for immediate administration. In addition, with proper radiochemical handling of the 128Ba-128Cs generator, no-carrier-added, high-purity 129Cs (32.35 h, 372 keV, 32%) can also be produced for use in research applications.

Posterior cruciate ligament injuries. Results of early surgical repair.

A retrospective study of 20 patients (19 men and one woman) with clinical diagnosis of posterior cruciate ligament injuries (seen between December 1969 and September 1977) was conducted. Eighteen patients underwent surgery an average of 2.6 days after injury. Tears of the posterior cruciate ligament were confirmed in all patients and a high incidence of associated ligamentous injuries was noted. No cases of truly isolated posterior cruciate injury were found. The posterior drawer sign was the most accurate test for posterior cruciate disruption. Torn posterior cruciate ligaments, as well as associated ligamentous injuries, were repaired to bone when possible. Irreparable disruptions or unstable repairs were reinforced with dynamic tendon transfers. We prefer to use as a tendon transfer the medial one-third of the medial head of the gastrocnemius because it provides static posterior drawer resistance and functions dynamically. The average follow-up period was 30.8 months. A comparison of preoperative and follow-up stability was made and it revealed that all patients exhibited mild residual instability. A functional rating showed that seven patients had excellent results, seven had good, three had fair, and one patient had poor results among those surgically treated. One patient treated conservatively rated good. The other one was lost to followup. The results of our study demonstrate that early surgical repair with dynamic augmentation, as indicated, can lead to acceptable functional results in the majority of knees with posterior cruciate ligament injury.

Differential pulse polarographic determination of 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid and tin (II) in radiopharmaceuticals.

A differential pulse polarographic procedure was developed for the assay of dimercaptosuccinic acid and tin(II), components of a commercially available pharmaceutical kit for kidney scintigraphy. The method is quantitative and qualitative for both the chelated and unchelated forms of dimercaptosuccinic acid and tin(II) in a mixture of the two.

Low-intensity microwave radiation and the virulence of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain B6.

When virulent cells of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain B6 were exposed to low-level microwave radiation at a frequency of 10,000 MHz and an intensity of 0.58 mW/cm2 for 30 to 120 min, a 30 to 60% decrease in their ability to produce tumors on potato and turnip disks was observed. This microwave exposure did not affect the viability of these bacteria or their ability to attach to a tumor-binding site nor did it induce thermal shock. This loss of virulence was reversible within 12 h.