Showing papers by "Monash University published in 1986"
TL;DR: There was a 21.8% increase in the total number of solar keratoses in the 1040 people studied in the 12‐month period, due to new lesions forming at the same time as remissions were occurring.
Abstract: One thousand and forty people aged 40 years and over, 616 (59.2%) of whom had solar keratoses, were followed for 12 months. Two hundred and twenty-four people (36.4%) had a spontaneous remission of at least one of their solar keratoses. A total of 485 lesions (25.9%) underwent spontaneous remission out of the 1873 lesions that were present at the first examination of these 224 people. There was no significant difference between the number of lesions present at the initial examination in those who had a spontaneous remission compared with those who did not. There was a 21.8% increase in the total number of solar keratoses in the 1040 people studied in the 12-month period, due to new lesions forming at the same time as remissions were occurring. The incidence rate of squamous cell carcinoma occurring in the people with solar keratoses was 0.24% for each solar keratosis present at the original examination. With a substantial proportion of solar keratoses remitting spontaneously, plus the low rate of malignant transformation and the low potential for metastasis to occur from squamous cell carcinoma arising in a solar keratosis, the rationale of treating all solar keratoses appears questionable.
294 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present data on the reading performance of boys and girls from the standardisation sample drawn from two Australian states, Victoria and South Australia, in their first year of schooling.
Abstract: Summary. In 1980 steps were undertaken in Australia to commence a review of the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (Neale, 1958) which culminated in a revision and restandardisation of the test in 1984. This paper outlines the major features of this revision and presents data on the reading performance of boys and girls from the standardisation sample drawn from two Australian states, Victoria and South Australia. The results overall suggest that girls and boys do not differ significantly in performance at different age levels, except in speed of reading (Rate) and word recognition skills (Accuracy), in their first year of schooling. It was also observed that differences exist between the original norms and the revised norms for Australian children and that continued use of the former would result in significantly biased estimation of the reading performance of Australian children.
278 citations
TL;DR: The data establish that a 31-kDa form of inhibin also isolated from bovine follicular fluid, with subunits of 20 kDa (Ac) and 15 k da (B), is derived from the 58-k Da form by proteolytic processing of the A subunit.
Abstract: The primary amino acid structures of the 43-kDa (A) and 15-kDa (B) subunits of the 58-kDa form of the hormone inhibin have been elucidated by cloning and analysis of cDNA species derived from bovine granulosa cell mRNA. The A subunit (Mr = 32,298) is a protein of 300 amino acids with two potential N-glycosylation sites and two potential proteolytic processing sites and has a pre-pro region of 60 amino acids. The mature B subunit (Mr = 12,977) is a protein of 116 amino acids synthesized from a separate mRNA. These data establish that a 31-kDa form of inhibin also isolated from bovine follicular fluid, with subunits of 20 kDa (Ac) and 15 kDa (B), is derived from the 58-kDa form by proteolytic processing of the A subunit.
274 citations
Journal Article•
185 citations
TL;DR: The very close and consistent temporal relationship between TSH and T4 during the recovery phase suggests that TSH may have an essential role in the return of T4 to normal during recovery from critical nonthyroidal illness.
Abstract: In a prospective study of critically ill hypothyroxinemic we assessed the relationship between serum TSH and T4 during the return of serum T4 to normal during recovery. In this longitudinal study of 60 patients with a variety of critical illnesses, including burns, septicemia, and acute renal failure, serum T4 fell to less than 2.7 micrograms/dl (35 nmol/liter) in 24 patients, of whom 14 survived with return of T4 to normal. A rise in total T4 of more than 1.9 microgram/dl (25 nmol/liter) within 96 h occurred 13 times in 10 patients, while 4 patients had slower increases in T4. All 13 episodes of rapid T4 rise [1.7 +/- 0.8 (+/- SD) to 5.6 +/- 2.1 micrograms/dl] were associated with a marked increase in serum TSH (1.1 +/- 0.8 to 7.0 +/- 5.2 mU/liter), and TSH was transiently above normal during 8 episodes of T4 recovery. In the 6 episodes with sampling less than 6 h apart, the TSH rise consistently preceded the T4 rise. In the 4 patients who received dopamine, TSH and T4 remained low until cessation of therapy. During the TSH rise, only minor changes, which could not account for the increase in total T4, occurred in T4-binding globulin (12.9 +/- 3.3 to 14.8 +/- 3.3 mg/liter), prealbumin (208 +/- 73 to 234 +/- 82 mg/liter), and albumin (28.3 +/- 2.9 to 31.9 +/- 2.9 g/liter). Mean free T4 increased (0.60 +/- 0.34 to 1.45 +/- 0.56 ng/dl), as did total T3 (16 +/- 14 to 76 +/- 44 ng/dl), during the phase of TSH rise, suggesting that the increase in TSH was not simply a consequence of diminished negative feedback due to increased plasma binding. The very close and consistent temporal relationship between TSH and T4 during the recovery phase suggests that TSH may have an essential role in the return of T4 to normal during recovery from critical nonthyroidal illness.
185 citations
176 citations
TL;DR: Morphometric and 125I-hCG binding studies indicate that a new generation of Leydig cells develop from Day 21 and reach control levels by Day 49, and this differentiation is associated with a reestablishment of normal levels of testosterone 21 days post-EDS.
Abstract: Ethylene dimetbane sulpbonate (DS) administered to adult male rats in a single dose of 75 mg/kg body weight results in a rapid destruction of Leydig cells which, in turn, is associated with a marked decline in levels of serum testosterone. For 24-72 h after treatment with EDS (post-EDS) the Leydig cells undergo degenerative changes consisting of chromatin condensation and cytoplasmic vacuolation, and testicular macrophages progressively remove Leydig cells from the intertubular tissue by phagocytosis. This results in the total absence of Leydig cells on Days 7-14 and the absence of any detectable specific ‘251-bCG binding to testis homogenates. Associated with the low levels of serum testosterone, levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in serum rise, LH to levels found in castrate rats. Morphometric and ‘251-bCG binding studies indicate that a new generation of Leydig cells develop from Day 21 and reach control levels by Day 49. Morphologic observations suggest that the Leydig cells arise by differentiation from a pool of connective tissue cells that includes fibroblasts, lymphatic endothelial cells and pericytes. The new Leydig cells, which appear around Day 21 post-EDS, have the features of fetal Leydig cells. The latter appear to transform into Leydig cells typical of normal adult rats between 35-49 days post-EDS. The differentiation of new Leydig cells is associated with a reestablishment of normal levels of testosterone 21 days post-EDS. Serum LH and FSH return to normal at 28 days and 49 days respectively.
152 citations
TL;DR: The increase in production of human ovarian inhibin by exogenous follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is thus consistent with its proposed role in FSH regulation and may have therapeutic implications in human ovulation-induction programmes.
142 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that 31 kDa inhibin is a smaller form of the 58 k da inhibin resulting from a shortening of the 43 kDa subunit to a 20 kDaSubunit, and their similar cross-reaction in a radioimmunoassay system and the apparent generation of the 31 k Da inhibin following a pH precipitation step.
139 citations
01 Jan 1986
TL;DR: In this article, the authors make significant contributions to the field of temporary stream ecology, a field that has received little attention worldwide, and they show that the great variation in physical and chemical conditions does not appear to depress macroinvertebrate species richness in some Australian temporary streams, and there is a considerable species overlap between permanent and temporary streams.
Abstract: Limnologists in Australia are well positioned to make significant contributions to temporary-stream ecology, a field that has received little attention worldwide. The great variation in physical and chemical conditions does not appear to depress macroinvertebrate species richness in some Australian temporary streams, and there is a considerable species overlap between permanent and temporary streams. The coincidence of zero flow with peak allochthonous organic input has important repercussions on transport of dissolved and particulate organic matter when flow resumes, and much is yet to be learnt about the biotic processing of this ‘pulse’ of material.
136 citations
TL;DR: Human placental extracts contain inhibin bioactivity and immunoactivity giving dose response curves parallel to a human follicular fluid inhibin standard, which differs from human ovarian inhibin in terms of its biological: immunological ratio.
TL;DR: Pituitary and luteal release of oxytocin may, therefore, occur simultaneously and be controlled by a circulating factor in sheep and the suppression of uterine PGF2 alpha release during early pregnancy is not considered to result from a lack of stimulation by Oxytocin.
Abstract: Oxytocin, oxytocin-associated neurophysin (neurophysin), prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), and progesterone concentrations were measured in the utero-ovarian vein (UOV) of sheep during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. On days 13- 16 of the cycle, large pulses of PGF2α, oxytocin, and neurophysin were measured in samples collected at hourly intervals from the UOV draining a corpus luteum (UOV/CL). Most of the PGF2α pulses (96.5%) coincided with a pulse of both oxytocin and neurophysin, whereas only 55.6% of oxytocin pulses coincided with a pulse of PGF2α. Therefore, during luteolysis in sheep, uterine PGF2α release is closely associated with ovarian oxytocin release, and oxytocin release is unlikely to be dependent upon a uterine PGF2α stimulus. During frequent sampling, coincident oxytocin pulses were measured in 1) both UOVs when a CL was present in both ovaries and 2) the jugular vein, carotid artery, and UOV/CL, with a significantly higher oxytocin pulse concentration occurring in jugular venous compared...
TL;DR: The possibility that differences in U values between groups are due to different ovarian stimulation protocols is discussed, as is the values of the UE model in highlighting differences between IVF groups and its importance in predicting multiple pregnancy rates.
Abstract: A comparison of the implantation rates following in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) for four major groups indicates differences in the implantation rates as well as in the incidence of multiple implantation. By assuming that the probability of implantation is the product of two variables, uterine receptivity (U) and embryo viability (E), estimates for U and E are derived for each of the four IVF groups using maximum likelihood methods. The UE model is tested using chi-squared goodness-of-fit methods for predicted implantation rates versus observed. The possibility that differences in U values between groups are due to different ovarian stimulation protocols is discussed, as is the value of the UE model in highlighting differences between IVF groups and its importance in predicting multiple pregnancy rates.
TL;DR: A radioimmunoassay for Relaxin was developed in which a synthetic analogue of human relaxin was used as standard, tracer, and immunogen, and measurable in pregnant women from the tenth week of gestation until term.
TL;DR: LHRH agonists as mentioned in this paper are synthetic peptide analogues of hypothalamic luteinizing hormone releasing hormone with superior potency and longer duration of gonadotrophin release.
TL;DR: It is concluded that those non‐melanotic skin tumours which have the most potential to metastasize (squamous cell carcinomas) are those which are most poorly diagnosed clinically.
Abstract: The accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of 1292 non-melanotic skin tumours that were submitted to a private pathology service in 1980-1981 was determined. The clinical diagnosis that was written on the pathology slip which was submitted with the tumour was correlated with the histological diagnosis and the type of medical practitioner submitting the lesion. The clinical diagnosis was most accurate in the case of basal cell carcinoma; dermatologists most often reached this diagnosis correctly. For squamous cell carcinoma, although most frequently the lesions were diagnosed correctly clinically by dermatologists, their clinical diagnosis was confirmed in only 51% of cases. On average, 36% of squamous cell carcinomas were diagnosed clinically as basal cell carcinomas. The clinical course of 299 patients with a total of 305 squamous cell carcinomas that were selected from the squamous cell carcinomas that were submitted in 1980-1981 was traced. Four tumours (1.6%) which occurred in sun-exposed areas of the body metastasized, and 18 (7.5%) recurred locally. We conclude that those non-melanotic skin tumours which have the most potential to metastasize (squamous cell carcinomas) are those which are most poorly diagnosed clinically. It is recommended that patients with non-melanotic skin cancers should undergo biopsy as a routine to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Those who have a squamous cell carcinoma removed should be followed up for at least two years after the initial treatment.
TL;DR: A randomized control trial involving the fertilization and culture of human embryos in culture medium conraining either 10% maternal serum or no protein or amino acid supplement found no difference in fertilization rates, development of apparently normal embryos, pregnancy rate, or birth rate between protein-containing and protein-free media.
Abstract: A randomized control trial involving the fertilization and culture of human embryos in culture medium (T6) conraining either 10% maternal serum or no protein or amino acid supplement was carried out to assess the effect of deletion from culture of all fixed nitrogen on fertilization, embryo development, and embryo viability. There was no difference in fertilization rates (68 vs 69%), development of apparently normal embryos (96 vs 97%), pregnancy rate (18 vs 14%), or birth rate (13 vs 11%) between protein-containing and protein-free media. Deletion of protein from the culture medium may enable the constitution of more appropriate and defined culture media for human in vitro fertilization (IVF).
TL;DR: Penetration of human sperm through the vestments of human oocytes during the first 3 h after insemination was investigated to determine the time taken for sperm capacitation, which precedes the acrosome reaction and fertilization.
Abstract: Penetration of human sperm through the vestments of human oocytes during the first 3 h after insemination was investigated to determine the time taken for sperm capacitation, which precedes the acrosome reaction and fertilization. Twelve oocytes from women who became pregnant by IVF, recovered at laparoscopy after appropriate stimulation, were examined by electron microscopy. Follicular development was controlled by administration of clomiphene citrate, hMG, and hCG. Oocytes were cultured in Whittingham's T6 medium for 7-14 h before insemination and were fixed 1-3 h after insemination with preincubated sperm obtained from fertile men. All oocytes had matured and eight were normally fertilized 2-3 h after insemination. The acrosome reaction had already begun 1 h after insemination when 10-30% of sperm had reacted. Sperm-oocyte membrane fusion occurred 2 h after insemination, and sperm decondensation and pronuclear formation were in progress 3 h after insemination. Variable numbers of sperm (30-60%) had rea...
TL;DR: The degree of correlation between teachers' ratings of vocabulary, comprehension, mathematics, and verbal intelligence with scores from the Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) plus the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) was assessed with 120 boys and 110 girls aged 8.6 to 10.5 years in three southeastern suburban state schools in Melbourne.
Abstract: The degree of correlation between teachers' ratings of vocabulary, comprehension, mathematics, and verbal intelligence with scores from the Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) plus the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) was assessed with 120 boys and 110 girls aged 8.6 to 10.5 years in three southeastern suburban state schools in Melbourne. Teachers' ratings of students' general attitude also were collected. While results indicated that significant correlations did exist between data from the two sets of measures, these accounted for only small amounts of the total variance, suggesting that two almost discrete domains of information were being tapped. The need for reconciliation between these two domains is discussed and the presence of sex bias in teachers' ratings is raised for further study.
TL;DR: The soil isolate Pseudomonas putida MW1000 can grow on toluene and other hydrocarbons; in this respect it is similar to strains of pseudomonas which carry the TOL plasmid, and physical analysis of these TOL R18-18 hybrids has shown that the Tol segment is almost identical to the same region found in the T OL plasmids pWW0.
Abstract: Thesoil isolate Pseudomonas putida MW1000can grow on toluene andother hydrocarbons; inthis respect itissimilar tostrains ofPseudomonas which carrytheTOLplasmid. Byconjugation experiments, thegenes conferring these growth abilities havebeenshowntobelocated onthebacterial chromosome, linked tovil and catB.A56-kilobase segment ofthebacterial chromosome ofMW strains carrying theTOLgenescantranspose totheIncP-1 plasmid R18-18. Physical analysis ofthese TOLR18-18 hybrids hasshownthat theTOLsegment isalmost identical tothesame region found intheTOLplasmid pWWO. A numberofdegradative plasmids havebeendescribed whichenable Pseudomonas putida toutilize avariety of hydrocarbons forgrowth. Inalmost allofthese cases, the plasmid involved isautonomous andself-replicating . Howeverthere hasbeenlimited evidence that suchplasmids can becomeintegrated into thebacterial chromosome. Williams andWorsey(36) isolated arange ofpseudomonads fromsoil whichhadtheability toutilize m-toluate forgrowth. Notall ofthese strains couldtransfer this ability atconjugation, indicating thepossibility thattheTOL genescouldbe located inthebacterial chromosome oronanontransmissible plasmid. Jeenes andWilliams (12)havedescribed a strain (WR211) whichbehaves asifithasachromosomal insert ofTOLDNA inaddition toaphenotypically TOLplasmid. Meulin andBroda(15) presented Southern hybridization evidence forthechromosomal location ofsegments oftheTOL plasmid pWWO insomephenotypically cured strains. Thus,evidence forthechromosomal location of TOLgenesislimited tonontransmissibility atconjugation,
TL;DR: Experiments were conducted in 11 unanesthetized fetal sheep during the last third of gestation to examine the effects of prolonged, reversible reduction in uterine blood flow on fetal electrocortical activity, breathing movements, and skeletal muscle activity.
TL;DR: Analysis of the data collected to date shows that patients with three or more embryos frozen have a significantly higher pregnancy rate than patients with one or two embryos frozen, and that patients who were pregnant following the initial embryo replacement on the cycle of IVF treatment are more likely to conceive following replacement of their frozen-thawed embryos.
Abstract: Embryo cryopreservation has been studied at Monash University since 1981 and has been available to patients since mid-1983. Of approximately 1200 patients' cycles of in vitro fertilization (IVF), 445 have had excess embryos which they requested to be frozen. To date 205 patients have requested thawing of their embryos and 144 have had frozen-thawed embryos replaced in utero, resulting in 16 pregnancies. Four of these pregnancies aborted, four are ongoing, and eight deliveries have resulted, including one stillbirth at 26 weeks and one set of twins. Analysis of the data collected to date shows that patients with three or more embryos frozen have a significantly higher pregnancy rate than patients with one or two embryos frozen (23 versus 4%, respectively). Embryo viability, but not embryo survival, following freezethawing is related to the degree of embryonic fragmentation and the cell stage at freezing. Eight-cell embryos had a significantly higher viability than other cleavage stages. Those resulting in pregnancy tended to be the faster-dividing eight-cell embryos and were undamaged after freezing and thawing. However, when considering all cleavage stages, there was little effect of freezing damage on embryo viability, providing that at least 50% of the cell complement of embryos were intact and the zona pellucida was undamaged. Nor was there any marked effect of the age of embryos postinsemination. It is also possible that patients who were pregnant following the initial embryo replacement on the cycle of IVF treatment are more likely to conceive following replacement of their frozen-thawed embryos.
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual framework has been developed for organizing the data in terms of Adjustment, National Identity, Cultural Competence, Social Absorption, and Role Acculturation so that comparisons can be made between studies of the different aspects of adaptation.
Abstract: A long-term program of psychological research into the adaptation of immigrants to Australia was commenced in Western Australia in the early 1950s. These studies used psychological concepts, such as learning, skills, values, attitudes, self-concept, to explain the changes which occur in individual immigrants during the process of their resocialization. Use has been made of the normal methodological procedures that are followed in psychological studies, such as statistics, comparisons between groups, including two generations in the one family, sampling representativeness, operational definitions, and the use of objective measures of variables. Rather than seeking explanation in terms of a definitive theory, a conceptual framework has been developed for organizing the data in terms of Adjustment, National Identity, Cultural Competence, Social Absorption, and Role Acculturation so that comparisons can be made between studies of the different aspects of adaptation.
TL;DR: The study reveals that sperm have to complete the acrosome reaction before fusing with the egg and the general pattern of sperm fusion and incorporation appears to conform to that seen in most other mammals.
Abstract: Sperm-oocyte membrane fusion has been observed during monospermic fertilization of a human oocyte in vitro.
Women were stimulated with both clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotropin and were given human chorionic gonadotropin before a LH-surge. Twelve oocytes, collected at laparoscopy from six women who became pregnant by IVF, were allowed to mature for 7–14 hours in vitro and inseminated with preincubated sperm, fixed between 1–3 hours after insemination, and examined by transmission electron microscopy.
Membrane fusion had occurred in one ovum 2 hours after insemination, and the oocyte had resumed maturation and was at anaphase II of meiosis. Cortical granules had been exocytosed, and some of their contents were visible at the surface close to the oolemma all around the oocyte. The sperm that fused with this oocyte was acrosome-reacted and had been partly incorporated into the ooplasm, while the anterior two-thirds of its head was phagocytosed by a tongue of cortical ooplasm. Membrane fusion had occurred between the oolemma and the plasma membrane overlying the postacrosomal segment of the sperm head, posterior to the equatorial vestige. Sperm chromatin had not decondensed, and serial sections revealed a midpiece attached to the basal plate and a tail located deeper in the ooplasm, all devoid of plasma membrane. Supplementary sperm penetrating the inner zona, approaching the perivitelline space, had undergone the acrosome reaction but had a persistent vestige of the equatorial segment of the acrosome with intact plasma membrane. Evidence of sperm chromatin decondensation was seen in other oocytes, 3 hours after insemination, which were at telophase II of meiosis. Eight oocytes penetrated by sperm were monospermic, while four were unfertilized.
The general pattern of sperm fusion and incorporation appears to conform to that seen in most other mammals. The study also reveals that sperm have to complete the acrosome reaction before fusing with the egg.
TL;DR: The VP receptors in adrenal glomerulosa cells appeared to be V1-type similar to those found in liver and vasculature and different from those in kidney, and both VP and AII stimulated aldosterone synthesis.
Abstract: Vasopressin (VP) action was identified in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells measuring the VP stimulation of phosphatidylinositol breakdown to inositol-1-phosphate (IP). The pKb value (negative log of EC50) for arginine VP (AVP) was 9.1 +/- 0.4 (n = 6). The V2-selective agonist 1-deamino-8-D-arginine VP did not stimulate IP accumulation. Furthermore, the V1-selective antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid) 2-(O-methyl) tyrosine]AVP (10(-7)M) prevented the stimulation by VP. Thus, the VP receptors in adrenal glomerulosa cells appeared to be V1-type similar to those found in liver and vasculature and different from those in kidney. Angiotensin II (AII) also stimulated accumulation of IP but the maximum stimulation achieved was much greater than with VP. In the case of AII, stimulation of phosphatidylinositol breakdown is thought to be the initiating event in the stimulation of aldosterone synthesis. In agreement with this, both VP and AII stimulated aldosterone synthesis, the maximum AII stimulation (6.5- +/- 1.3-fold, n = 7) being much greater than the VP stimulation (1.7 +/- 0.33-fold, n = 7).
TL;DR: A preliminary trial comparing amniotic fluid with T6 + maternal serum in human IVF showed no significant difference in fertilization rate and embryo development during 42 to 48 hours in vitro.
TL;DR: A survey of knowledge and attitudes towards mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and counsellors) collected data from 502 respondents representative of Australian society as mentioned in this paper, which indicated that the four professions were perceived as providing fairly distinct services to the public and fell into two sub-groups: (1) psychologists and psychiatrists as private-practice and fee-demanding professionals who study human behaviour and thoughts, and (2) social workers and counselors as public-utility non-fee demanding professionals who are more practical and help the average person solve emotional problems.
Abstract: A survey of knowledge and attitudes towards lour mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and counsellors) collected data from 502 respondents representative of Australian society. Results indicated that the four professions were perceived as providing fairly distinct services to the public and fell into two sub-groups: (1) psychologists and psychiatrists as private-practice and fee-demanding professionals who study human behaviour and thoughts, and (2) social workers and counsellors as public-utility non-fee-demanding professionals who are more practical and help the average person solve emotional problems. Data on value, status, familiarity and approachability are discussed.