Experimental considerations of acute heat stress assays to quantify coral thermal tolerance.

Understanding the distribution and abundance of heat tolerant corals across seascapes is imperative for predicting responses to climate change and to support novel management actions. Thermal tolerance is variable in corals and intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of tolerance are not well understood. Traditional experimental evaluations of coral heat and bleaching tolerance typically involve ramp-and-hold experiments run across days to weeks within aquarium facilities with limits to colony replication. Field-based acute heat stress assays have emerged as an alternative experimental approach to rapidly quantify heat tolerance in many samples yet the role of key methodological considerations on the stress response measured remains unresolved. Here, we quantify the effects of coral fragment size, sampling time point, and physiological measures on the acute heat stress response in adult corals. The effect of fragment size differed between species (Acropora tenuis and Pocillopora damicornis). Most physiological parameters measured here declined over time (tissue colour, chlorophyll-a and protein content) from the onset of heating, with the exception of maximum photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) which was surprisingly stable over this time scale. Based on our experiments, we identified photosynthetic efficiency, tissue colour change, and host-specific assays such as catalase activity as key physiological measures for rapid quantification of thermal tolerance. We recommend that future applications of acute heat stress assays include larger fragments (> 9 cm2) where possible and sample between 10 and 24 h after the end of heat stress. A validated high-throughput experimental approach combined with cost-effective genomic and physiological measurements underpins the development of markers and maps of heat tolerance across seascapes and ocean warming scenarios.

Australia's primary health care workforce--research informing policy.

In 2008, the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) held a Primary Health Care Workforce Roundtable with practising clinicians, policymakers and researchers, which drew on Australian evidence in health care policy, systematic reviews, and expertise and experience of participants. Key recommendations for an adequate, sustainable and effective primary health care workforce that arose from the meeting included: simplifying the Medicare Benefits Schedule, which is unnecessarily complex and inflexible; effectively funding undergraduate and prevocational medical and nursing education and training in primary health care; developing career structure and training pathways for general practitioners and primary health care nurses; developing of functional primary health care teams; and using a blended funding model, comprising fee-for-service as well as capitation for patients with chronic or complex needs. A report from the meeting, detailing these policy options, was submitted to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission for inclusion in their deliberations.

Rare childhood diseases: how should we respond?

Paradoxically, rare diseases are common, collectively affecting 6-10% of the population and have a huge impact on patients and families, health services, clinicians and the wider community. Accurate data are required to inform clinical practice, government policy and health service planning. We recommend a national approach, similar to that adopted in the USA and Europe, to support research and promote advocacy and equitable access to services for children with rare diseases.

Identification and typing of Proteus penneri and Proteus vulgaris biogroups 2 and 3, from clinical sources, by computerized analysis of electrophoretic protein patterns.

Seventy-six strains of the Proteus vulgaris complex (Pr. penneri and Pr. vulgaris biogroups 2 and 3) were characterized by one-dimensional SDS-PAGE of cellular proteins. The protein patterns were highly reproducible. The strains came from various countries and were mainly of human origin: urine (28), respiratory tract (13), wounds (8), faeces (7), blood (3), miscellaneous sources (6) and unknown sources (11). The patterns of these strains, together with those of the type strains of seven Morganella, Proteus and Providencia species were subjected to two numerical analyses. In the first, in which the principal protein bands (in the 35.0-42.0 kDa range) were excluded, the strains of the Pr. vulgaris complex formed four clusters at the 83% similarity level. These corresponded to Pr. penneri, Pr. vulgaris biogroup 2, and two clusters (3a and 3b) represented biogroup 3. Each of these clusters was distinct from the Morganella, Proteus and Providencia reference strains. In the second analysis, which included all the protein bands, the 41 Pr. penneri strains showed little heterogeneity but 17 subphenons could be recognized among the 35 strains of Pr. vulgaris biogroups 2 and 3. These results support the division of biogroup 3 strains into at least two separate taxa. Other results indicate that biogroup 3 is heterogeneous and may contain further genomic groups. The method also provides a basis for typing clinical strains of Pr. vulgaris biogroups 2 and 3.

Molecular genotype analysis of Salmonella bovismorbificans.

Genotypes were analysed within 30 isolates of Salmonella bovismorbificans from human or bovine salmonellosis and from environmental or food sources. Three clonal evolutionary lines (chromosomal genotypes) were identified on the basis of restriction fragment length polymorphism at the 16S rRNA genes, total protein profiles, and the location and copy number of a Salmonella-specific DNA insertion sequence, IS200. The predominant type was found with and without a 90 kbp plasmid homologous to the spv BC genes of S. typhimurium, and seven plasmid profiles were observed in this chromosomal genotype. This is the first such virulence plasmid to be reported in S. bovismorbificans. One example was found of two other clones which differed substantially from the predominant clone and from each other in chromosomal genotype. These results show that three clonal lines share the antigen profile of S. bovismorbificans, and provide a subtyping scheme for this serovar.

Epidemiological and immunological studies of sweet itch in horses in Israel.

A survey of sweet itch in horses in Israel based on a questionnaire to owners reported that 158 of 723 horses (21.8 per cent) had sweet itch lesions. The results indicated that the likelihood of a horse acquiring sweet itch decreased with increasing altitude but no definite association with rainfall zones was evident. Variation in the density of the horse population, however, obscured these observations. In the population surveyed, stallions were more sensitive than mares and pale horses appeared to be less sensitive than dark ones, but the sample size of this latter group was much smaller. Intradermal injection of extracts of Culicoides imicola and Stomoxys calcitrans gave immediate reactions in sensitive horses but delayed reactions were observed only with extracts of C imicola. Sensitivity to extracts of C circumscriptus was also evident in allergic horses. Antibodies to extracts of Culicoides species and Stomoxys species were demonstrable in the serum of normal and allergic horses by the ELISA technique.

Experiences with oral prostaglandin E2 and amniotomy in the induction of labour.

PIP: 14 nulliparas and 28 multiparas were induced at term by combined low amniotomy and oral prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) solution. Doses, after a .5 mg test dose, were 1, 1.5, or 2.0 mg at 2-hour intervals. There were 37 successful deliveries, 3 Caesarean sections, and 2 failures, later successful with oxytocin. Induction delivery intervals averaged 12.6 hours in nulliparas and 8.9 hours in multiparas, and were inversely proportional to pelvic score. Fetal distress occurred in 2 cases. No other fetal side effects were reported, but vomiting was frequent (28.5%) and sometimes severe.^ieng

Effect of physical training on LDH activity and LDH isozyme pattern in human skeletal muscle.

Total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and LDH isozyme pattern were studied in muscle biopsies obtained from m. vastus lateralis after 1) "aerobic" training performed as interval and extreme distance running, respectively (3 subjects); and 2) "anaerobic" training for two months, carried out as repeated maximal bursts of approximately 1 min running (6 subjects). After the "anaerobic training" no changes in LDH properties could be detected, although running performance improved. The extreme distance running resulted in a decrease in total LDH activity and an increase in relative activity of the heart specific isozymes. A relationship was also shown between the relative activity of these isozymes and the training distance covered. The relatively more aerobic prevailing during distance running as compared to "anaerobic training" were proposed to decrease muscle specific subunits and/or increase synthesis of heart specific subunits in both muscle fiber types. This suggestion was supported by isozyme analysis of lyophilized and dissected single muscle fibres.

LDH isozymes in skeletal muscles of endurance and strength trained athletes.

Muscle biopsy samples were obtained from arm and leg muscles of endurance and strength trained athletes, respectively. Total LDH activity as well as occurrence and activity of LDH isozymes were determined. Comparing the results from the athletes with those from non-trained subjects with corresponding fibre compositions, it was found that the endurance athletes had a lower total LDH activity, a higher relative activity of the most heart-specific isozymes. LDH (1 + 2), and, on electrophoretic separation, a complete absence of LDH (4 + 5) in both arm and leg muscles. As compared to the untrained material the strength trained athletes tended to have a higher total LDH activity, a similar distribution of relative isozyme activities, and, in the leg muscles, a strong electrophoretic band corresponding to LDH 5, the most skeletal muscle specific isozyme.