Showing papers by "University of Adelaide published in 1989"
TL;DR: It is indicated that delayed gastric and oesophageal emptying occur frequently in Type 2 diabetes mellitus and that delayed Gastric emptying relates, at least in part, to plasma glucose concentrations.
Abstract: Gastric emptying of a digestible solid and liquid meal and oesophageal emptying of a solid bolus were measured with scintigraphic techniques in 20 randomly selected Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients receiving oral hypoglycaemic therapy and 20 control subjects In the diabetic patients, the relationships between oesophageal emptying, gastric emptying, gastrointestinal symptoms, autonomic nerve function and glycaemic control were examined The percentage of the solid meal remaining in the stomach at 100 min (p 005) with oesophageal, or gastric emptying The 50% gastric emptying time for the liquid meal was positively related (r=058, p<001) to the plasma glucose concentration at the time of the performance of the gastric emptying test and the lag period, before any solid food emptied from the stomach, was longer (p<005) in subjects with plasma glucose concentrations during the gastric emptying measurement greater than the median, compared to those with glucose concentrations below the median These results indicate that delayed gastric and oesophageal emptying occur frequently in Type 2 diabetes mellitus and that delayed gastric emptying relates, at least in part, to plasma glucose concentrations
385 citations
TL;DR: It is postulated that MAGP and MP78 are constituents of MP340 which in turn is the subunit of which the 12-nm microfibrils are composed.
192 citations
TL;DR: A binding protein purified from bovine kidney (MDBK) cells potently inhibited the ability of IGF-2 to stimulate DNA synthesis or protein accumulation as well as to reduce rates of protein breakdown in chick embryo fibroblasts.
Abstract: (1) Many cell types secrete insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding proteins that can be expected to sequester free IGF and modify the biological activities of the growth factors. (2) A binding protein purified from bovine kidney (MDBK) cells potently inhibited the ability of IGF-2 to stimulate DNA synthesis or protein accumulation as well as to reduce rates of protein breakdown in chick embryo fibroblasts. The binding protein did not influence the biological activities of des-(1-3)-IGF-1, while effects on IGF-1 were intermediate. Since the chick embryo fibroblasts contain only the type 1 IGF receptor, the MDBK-cell binding protein must have reduced the accessibility of IGF-2 and IGF-1 to that receptor. Binding to the type 2 receptor on L6 myoblasts was also inhibited. (3) Inhibiting effects on both protein breakdown responsiveness to IGF and IGF binding to cell receptors were also observed with human amniotic fluid binding protein, although here IGF-1 and IGF-2 were equipotent. These results contrast with stimulatory responses on different IGF-1 actions of the same binding protein reported previously [Elgin, Busby & Clemmons (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 3254-3258]. (4) The biological potencies of IGF-1, IGF-2 and des-(1-3)-IGF-1 correlate inversely with their binding to proteins released into the medium by cells, so that the enhanced potency of des-(1-3)-IGF-1 is a consequence of it not binding to purified binding proteins or those released by cultured cells.
166 citations
TL;DR: Northern analyses showed that creA encodes a transcript of approximately 1.8 kb in length and that the levels of this transcript varied by up to two fold depending on the carbon source, but there was evidence for tighter carbon catabolite repression.
Abstract: The creA gene from A. nidulans has been cloned by complementation of a non-revertable mutant allele using a genomic library and marker rescue techniques. The rescued sequence was subcloned and a 2.3 kb fragment identified which complements several creA mutant alleles. Northern analyses showed that creA encodes a transcript of approximately 1.8 kb in length and that the levels of this transcript varied by up to two fold depending on the carbon source. Transformants containing more than two extra copies of creA grew as wildtype on a range of carbon sources, but there was evidence for tighter carbon catabolite repression.
164 citations
TL;DR: The Victorian Branch of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association became concerned in 1985 by the large number of cases of musculo-skeletal symptoms being reported by members working in food and grocery supermarkets.
Abstract: The Victorian Branch of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association became concerned in 1985 by the large number of cases of musculo-skeletal symptoms being reported by members working in food and grocery supermarkets. With the support of the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Commission a survey was carried out which was aimed at determining the prevalence of such symptoms, and identifying associated factors. A questionnaire designed to establish the presence of musculo-skeletal symptoms was administered to all employees of seven supermarkets ranging in size from 15 to 171 employees, with a response rate of 73%. The staff of supermarkets were predominantly young, female and transient. One-third reported regular symptoms in some part of their body. Prevalence rates were calculated for body area and department. The checkout department had the highest rates for almost all body areas. The lower back, lower limbs and feet were the body areas with the highest rates. Postures and activities of a sample of job categories in each department were sampled at 10 s intervals for periods of 30 min for a total of 1000 observations for each department. A positive and significant correlation was found between proportion of time spent standing and symptoms in the lower limb and foot, especially in the checkout department where 90% of the time was spent standing in one place. It was concluded that there was an excess of symptoms appearing in checkout operators, and therefore, the operating methods of the checkout department warrant revision.
163 citations
TL;DR: The evidence suggests that G. intestinalis is a species complex and has important implications for the systematics of human isolates of Giardia, as well as for studies on the epidemiology and demography of giardiasis in Australia and elsewhere.
161 citations
TL;DR: This work proposes a new luteovirus supergroup which should be added to the already described Sindbisvirus-like and picornavirus- like supergroups, and proposes that this new viral supergroup provides an evolutionary link between the other two supergroups.
Abstract: Comparative studies of sequence motifs in the RNA polymerases and nucleic acid helicases of positive-sense RNA plant viruses have provided a new scheme for the classification of these pathogens. We propose a new luteovirus supergroup which should be added to the already described Sindbisvirus-like and picornavirus-like supergroups. Sequence motifs of nucleic acid helicases and RNA polymerases which previously were considered to be specific for each of the two supergroups now occur together within this new supergroup. We propose that this new viral supergroup provides an evolutionary link between the other two supergroups.
160 citations
TL;DR: The ability of certain small, circular, pathogenic RNAs of plants and animals to self-cleave at specific sites in vitro in the complete absence of protein most likely plays a central role in their replication in vivo by a rolling circle mechanism.
159 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a sequential procedure for the development of breeding objectives for beef cattle improvement is presented, where the development proceeds in four phases: (1) specification of the breeding, production and marketing system; (2) identification of sources of income and expenses; (3) determination of biological traits influencing income and expense; (4) derivation of the economic value of each trait, based on discounted gene flow methods.
Abstract: A sequential procedure for the development of breeding objectives for beef cattle improvement is presented. The procedure is general, and could be used for other types of domestic livestock. The development proceeds in four phases: (1) specification of the breeding, production and marketing system; (2) identification of sources of income and expenses; (3) determination of biological traits influencing income and expense; (4) derivation of the economic value of each trait, based on discounted gene flow methods. As an example, a breeding objective is developed for a pure breeding herd from which male calves are marketed at 9 months of age and surplus heifers are sold at 15 months of age. Situations examined included: (1) the effect of discounting on the breeding objective (income and expense per year v. discounting at 0, 5 and 10%); (2) the effect of ignoring the economic value for food intake in the objective; (3) the effect of inclusion of yearling weight or the deletion of calving date from the selection index. In general, correlations between objectives for discounting and income and expense per year were greater than 0·95, whereas correlations between indices were greater than 0·85. Setting food costs equal to zero shifted emphasis from reproduction to growth traits, with a consequent increase in food intake. The addition of yearling weight to the index caused a small increase in the accuracy of the index, whereas the deletion of calving date had a large effect, halving the accuracy of the index. The practical implications of the results are discussed.
157 citations
TL;DR: Sedimentary rhythmites of siltstone and fine sandstone from late Precambrian (c. 650-800 Ma) glaciogenic formations in South Australia are interpreted as distal ebb-tidal deposits that record variability in the velocity and range of palaeo-ebb tides as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Sedimentary rhythmites of siltstone and fine sandstone from late Precambrian (c. 650–800 Ma) glaciogenic formations in South Australia are interpreted as distal ebb-tidal deposits that record variability in the velocity and range of palaeo-ebb tides. Variations in lamina thickness encode a full spectrum of palaeotidal cycles, including semidiurnal, diurnal, fortnightly and monthly tidal cycles as well as the lunar apsides (perigee) and nodal cycles. A half-yearly oscillation is attributable largely to a beat between the fortnightly tidal cycles of luni-solar conjunction and lunar declination; the lunar nodal cycle is discernible as an amplitude modulation of this beat oscillation. The data allow determination of the Earth9s palaeorotation and the past dynamics of the Earth-Moon system with an accuracy previously unattainable for the Precambrian. The late Precambrian (c. 650 Ma) year contained 13.1 (±0.5) lunar months and c. 400 (±20) days, and the late Precambrian lunar month c. 30.5 (±1.5) days. These values suggest an average equivalent phase lag near 3 ° since late Precambrian time rather than the present value of 6 ° . The period of 19.5 (±0.5) years determined for the lunar nodal cycle c . 650 Ma ago indicates a lunar distance 96.9 (±1.7)% of the present distance. The low rate of lunar recession since late Precambrian time revealed by the rhythmite data militates against a close approach of the Moon during the Proterozoic. Precambrian sedimentary rhythmites may hold a key to the early history of the Earth9s rotation.
154 citations
TL;DR: Close agreement was obtained over a range of experimental conditions between the estimated contribution of the alternative pathway to total respiratory flux, as measured with salicylhydroxamic acid, and that predicted from the redox poise of the Q-pool.
TL;DR: A 13-mer oligoribonucleotide can act as a ribozyme for the specific self-cleavage of a 41-mer aggregates substrate in the presence of Mg2+.
Abstract: A 13-mer oligoribonucleotide can act as a ribozyme for the specific self-cleavage of a 41-mer oligoribonucleotide substrate in the presence of Mg2+. The two sequences involved correspond to the self-cleavage hammerhead structure of the virusoid of lucerne transient streak virus. The Michaelis-menten kinetic parameters for the reaction were; Km 1.3 microM, Vmax 0.012 microM min-1, kcat 0.5 min-1. The 13-mer RNA is the smallest ribozyme so far reported. A DNA analogue of the 13-mer can not substitute for the RNA in the reaction.
TL;DR: It is revealed that behavioural symptoms and signs are directly related to the physical severity of low back disorder, the patient's report of pain and disability and the outcome of surgical treatment, thereby confirming results gained by other workers.
Abstract: Patients with chronic low back pain present with a mixture of symptoms and signs. Some are a direct consequence of physical pathology whereas others are attributable to associated and appropriate psychological and behavioural changes. At times the latter may be out of keeping with the degree of physical pathology and thus have specific significance in terms of the affective and cognitive disturbances that are also present and which may be the basis for abnormal illness behaviour. In an attempt to demonstrate more clearly the relationship between physical, psychological and behavioural components of illness, this paper draws on two data sets in patients with low back pain. The first explores the relationship between behavioural symptoms and signs, objective physical impairment, pain and disability and psychometric measures of distress together with scales making up the illness behaviour questionnaire (IBQ) of Pilowsky and Spence. A second data set is used to assess the value of the IBQ in understanding how psychological distress and behavioural signs and symptoms are related to the outcome of surgical treatment. The results gained reveal that behavioural symptoms and signs are directly related to the physical severity of low back disorder, the patient's report of pain and disability and the outcome of surgical treatment. Scores on the IBQ were strongly related to measures of affective disturbance and psychological distress. More specifically the disease affirmation scale of the IBQ, incorporating scales for disease conviction and psychological versus somatic focussing was an important dimension in relation to the behavioural symptoms and signs, thereby confirming results gained by other workers. Disease conviction and lack of response to clinicians' reassurances regarding illness - a situation in which abnormal illness behaviour is often deemed to exist - should not be seen simply as a function of the disease process, but more as a psychological coping mechanism for certain individuals under stress. The significance of this observation is discussed in relation to decisions regarding the overall assessment of chronic pain patients and their treatment.
TL;DR: It is concluded that populations of P. moluccensis have extremely limited potential for gene flow and may be regarded as effectively closed systems.
TL;DR: In this article, the development of characteristic horizontal structures occurred during the metamorphic culmination and was followed by isobaric cooling, which implies cooling intervals of the order of the thermal time constant of the continental lithosphere (~100 m.y.).
Abstract: In many high-temperature (>800°C) granulite terrains, the development of characteristic horizontal structures occurred during the metamorphic culmination and was followed by isobaric cooling. The absolute magnitude of isobaric cooling (commonly >300°C) implies cooling intervals of the order of the thermal time constant of the continental lithosphere (~100 m.y.). Such prolonged isobaric cooling implies that no significant erosional denudation followed the development of the horizontal structures and thus precludes the prograde deformation being responsible for significant crustal thickening. Rather, the prograde deformation more probably records bulk crustal thinning during extensional collapse of a previously thickened crust possibly triggered by detachment of a thickened thermal boundary layer at the base of the lithosphere. -Author
TL;DR: In this paper, the high-latitude structure of the mean winds and tides is described using climatologies prepared from radar data during the Atmospheric Tides Middle Atmosphere Program, and the monthly evolution of the amplitude and phase of the tides is discussed.
TL;DR: The results suggest that different species of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi have different survival strategies for existence at the study site, and that the MPN method underestimates the number of propagules.
TL;DR: The case-prevalence rate using the binary scoring method was comparable with other studies, but misclassification rates were unacceptably high when DSM-Ill Axis I diagnosis was used as the criterion for the presence of any psychiatric disorder.
Abstract: General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) results are given for a large (N = 1013) sample of South Australian young people (average age 19.6 years), to compare the usefulness of the 12-, 28-, and 30-item forms of the GHQ. Internal reliabilities are generally adequate and the Likert scoring method produces significant correlations with psychological measures such as self-esteem. the case-prevalence rate using the binary scoring method was comparable with other studies, but misclassification rates were unacceptably high when DSM-Ill Axis I diagnosis was used as the criterion for the presence of any psychiatric disorder.
TL;DR: In this paper, the crystal structure determination of the compound {nBu2Sn(2-pic)]2O}2 has revealed the presence of two distinct tin atom geometrics in the dicarboxylato tetraorganostannoxane structure.
TL;DR: In this paper, Ionic soil solution data from an arid-land South Australian archaeological site is presented to demonstrate the importance of such information to the development and testing of these predictive models.
TL;DR: A positive relationship between the mean numbers of AgNOR sites per nucleus and tumor growth fraction, as determined by immunostaining with the monoclonal antibody Ki-67, in 83 malignant breast tumors supports recent suggestions that the NOR count may reflect cell synthetic activity and hence, proliferation.
TL;DR: The rent gap hypothesis has attracted the most attention, probably because it is the most formal and ambitious in its claims as discussed by the authors, and the three key aspects of the theory include: (1) the proposition that gentrification must be preceded by the formation of a rent gap in the inner city property market, (2) the "capital switching"hypothesis, and (3) the claim that the beginnings of gentrification and coincided with a capitalist crisis of overproduction.
Abstract: Of the several competing theories of gentrification on offer, Neil Smith's rent gap hypothesis has attracted the most attention, probably because it is the most formal and ambitious in its claims. The three key aspects of the theory include: (1) the proposition that gentrification must be preceded by the formation of a rent gap in the inner city property market, (2) the “capital switching”hypothesis, and, (3) the claim that the beginnings of gentrification and coincided with a capitalist crisis of overproduction. Each of these propositions is evaluated with data assembled for metropolitan Adelaide, the state capital of South Australia. Shifts in matched land and house price gradients between 1970–85 reveal the existence of a well-formed rent gap in Adelaide by the late 1960s and its steady contraction thereafter. Because of the stratagems adopted by the South Australian and local governments for closing the rent gap, gentrification represented the third-best response so far as capital was concern...
TL;DR: Fewer frozen-thawed mouse oocytes cleaved to the 2-cell stage compared to fresh control oocytes fertilized in vitro, and an increased frequency of second polar body retention by fertilized frozen- Thawed oocytes compared with controls was shown to be largely responsible for the higher incidence of polyploidy.
Abstract: Fewer frozen-thawed mouse oocytes cleaved to the 2-cell stage compared to fresh control oocytes fertilized in vitro (46% vs 79%). The reduced rate of 2-cell formation was only partly explained by a decreased rate of fertilization (63% vs 85%). However, subsequent development to expanded blastocysts was not different (75% vs 78%). An increased frequency of second polar body retention by fertilized frozen-thawed oocytes compared with controls (11.8% vs 1.3%) was shown to be largely responsible for the higher incidence of polyploidy (16.3% vs 3.7%). The frequency of polyspermic fertilization was not different in the two groups (3.9% vs 2.3%).
TL;DR: The Eocene was a time of greatly increased silica accumulation in the ocean and the peak was in the early middle Eocene at about 50 Ma as discussed by the authors, and it is possible, on the evidence of carbon and oxygen isotopic patterns, that the trigger for the exhalation of silica was a reverse greenhouse effect.
Abstract: The Eocene was a time of greatly increased silica accumulation in the ocean, and the peak was in the early middle Eocene at about 50 Ma. The responsible geohistorical configuration included the following elements: extensive volcanism about 4 m.y. earlier, as part of the Chron 24 plate reorganization; early Eocene warming, with deep weathering to high latitudes and accumulation of the released silica in a sluggish ocean; and sharp cooling in the earliest middle Eocene, stimulating oceanic upwelling and biosilicification. It is possible, on the evidence of carbon and oxygen isotopic patterns, that the trigger for the exhalation of silica was a reverse greenhouse effect.
TL;DR: In this paper, a study of inertial scale gravity wave motions in the region of the atmosphere between 30 and 60 km has been undertaken, using wind and temperature data derived from rocket-borne falling sphere density experiments performed over Woomera, Australia between 1962 and 1976.
Abstract: A study of inertial scale gravity wave motions in the region of the atmosphere between 30 and 60 km has been undertaken, using wind and temperature data derived from rocket-borne falling sphere density experiments performed over Woomera, Australia between 1962 and 1976. The gross features of the wave field compare favorably with those found in similar northern hemispheric studies. Wave propagation is found to be both vertically and horizontally anisotropic. A rotary spectral analysis indicates predominately upgoing wave energy, suggesting that the majority of sources of these waves lie below 30 km. A detailed statistical investigation of the waves, made using the Stokes parameters technique, reveals that phase progression is also highly directional in the horizontal, with a significant zonal component in summer, but with a strong meridional component in winter. Propagation towards the southeast is inferred in summer, with the waves possibly emanating from tropospheric sources in equatorial regions to the north of Australia. The technique also shows that, on average, the waves appear to have mean ellipse eccentricities ( = f/ω) around 0.4–0.45. Indirect estimates of a number of important wave parameters are made. In particular, \( \overline {u'w'} \) and \( \overline {v'w'} \) flux estimates are made over several height intervals. The vertical gradient of density weighted flux implies wave-induced mean flow accelerations of the order 0.1–1 ms-1day-1. This suggests that dissipating gravity waves are a significant source of the momentum residuals that are encountered in studies of satellite data from this region.
TL;DR: The most‐useful tests in making an early diagnosis proved to be those which detected pneumococcal and mycoplasmal antigens, blood cultures and culture of sputum for appropriate bacterial pathogens.
Abstract: In a one-year prospective study of 106 adults (mean age, 60 years) who were admitted to hospital with community-acquired pneumonia, an aetiological diagnosis was made in 82 (77%) patients. Streptococcus pneumoniae was considered to be responsible for 44 (42%) and respiratory viruses for 19 (18%) infections. Other aetiological agents that were found in a smaller number of patients included Haemophilus influenzae (9% of patients), enteric Gram-negative bacilli (8% of patients), Staphylococcus aureus (3% of patients), Legionella spp. (3% of patients), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (3% of patients), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (8% of patients) and Chlamydia psittaci (5% of patients). The mortality was 10% and was related significantly to increasing age and to coexisting heart and lung disease. Antibiotic treatment that was commenced before admission to hospital and investigations were undertaken reduced significantly the isolation rate of susceptible bacterial pathogens. The Gram-stained smear of sputum was valuable in establishing a tentative diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia. The most-useful tests in making an early diagnosis proved to be those which detected pneumococcal and mycoplasmal antigens, blood cultures and culture of sputum for appropriate bacterial pathogens.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used radar wind measurements made at Adelaide (35°S, 138°E) and Kyoto(35°N, 136°E), Australia to construct climatologies of solar tidal wind motions in the 80-185 km region.
TL;DR: The reversal of lipopolysaccharide inhibition of gingival fibroblast proliferation by cyclosporine-A may explain, in part, why gingical overgrowth is most prominent in areas of heavy dental plaque accumulation.
Abstract: Gingival overgrowth is an adverse side-effect seen in a proportion of patients taking cyclosporin-A which indicates that cyclosporine-A may modulate the activities of cells other than T lymphocytes. Therefore, the effect of cyclosporine on human gingival fibroblasts has been studied in vitro. Cyclosporine-A was found to stimulate DNA synthesis and the proliferative activity of these cells with maximal stimulation noted at a concentration of 10(-9) g/ml. Although this stimulation was most noticeable in the presence of 10% fetal calf serum, proliferation still occurred in serum-free medium. In the presence of lipopolysaccharide, at a concentration which normally inhibits gingival fibroblast proliferation, cyclosporine retained its capacity to stimulate proliferative activity. Fibroblasts isolated from overgrown gingival tissue responded to a greater extent than those isolated from a healthy site from the same individual. This stimulatory effect was not restricted to gingival fibroblasts, since human foreskin fibroblasts responded in a similar fashion. Cyclosporine-A did not significantly alter protein or proteoglycan production by these cells. These responses are considered to reflect the in vivo response of gingival overgrowth in patients taking cyclosporine-A. The reversal of lipopolysaccharide inhibition of gingival fibroblast proliferation by cyclosporine-A may explain, in part, why gingival overgrowth is most prominent in areas of heavy dental plaque accumulation.
TL;DR: The percentage unbound of each ibuprofen enantiomer was concentration-dependent over the therapeutic concentration range and was influenced by the presence of its optical antipode.
Abstract: We have developed a novel and reproducible method for determining the plasma protein binding of the two ibuprofen enantiomers in the presence of each other. The method involves the use of radiolabelled racemic ibuprofen, equilibrium dialysis, derivatization of the enantiomers to diastereomeric amides, high-performance liquid chromatography, and radiochemical analysis.