Showing papers by "University of Otago published in 1983"
TL;DR: Females scored more highly on both the measures and scores were inversely correlated with age, indicating the importance of specific and appropriate norms in assessing affective states.
Abstract: Means and standard deviations are reported for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Zung Self-Rating Depression scale, collected during the course of a general health survey. Data for different age samples and for both sexes are presented for use in the evaluation of the significance of anxiety and depression levels in patients presenting with these symptoms. High estimates of reliability based on internal consistency statistics were found for all scales. Females scored more highly on both the measures and scores were inversely correlated with age, indicating the importance of specific and appropriate norms in assessing affective states.
601 citations
TL;DR: A 5-minute inventory of general happiness or sense of well-being based on measuring the balance of positive and negative feelings in recent experience is presented in this article, which indicates high reliability, high validity, and slight contamination by current mood and social desirability.
Abstract: Affectometer 2 is a 5-minute inventory of general happiness or sense of well-being based on measuring the balance of positive and negative feelings in recent experience. Since this scale is directly derived from its parent scale, Affectometer 1, psychometric findings on the longer scale are reported along with initial data on Affectometer 2. These results indicate high reliability, high validity, and slight contamination by current mood and social desirability. Among the findings of special interest are: (a) the independence of positive and negative affect proposed by Bradburn is not confirmed; (b) well-being is highly and inversely related to neuroticism, anxiety, depression and somatic complaints; (c) the relationship of well-being to depression is curvilinear; (d) well-being scores are determined more by short-term states than long-term traits; (e) well-being can be characterized by 10 “qualities of happiness”.
511 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a reconstruction of New Zealand's Eastern and Western Provinces is proposed, based on the Torlesse flysch and Haast Schist derivatives, which are the major part of the complexly deformed facies of the Eastern Province.
Abstract: The Carboniferous to Lower Cretaceous Torlesse terrane and Haast Schist derivatives constitute the major part of the complexly deformed facies of the Eastern Province of New Zealand. Strata consist mainly of quartzofeldspathic graywacke and mudstone, intercalated with minor but widely distributed conglomerate, and volcanics with associated chert and limestone. Clastic rocks were deposited largely by sediment gravity-flow mechanisms in a deep-marine environment. Also present are a few highly fossiliferous shallow-marine and terrestrial deposits of limited areal extent, which rest unconformably on or in fault contact with Torlesse flysch. Several periods of deformation are recognized and melange is present on both local and regional scales. Metamorphism ranges from zeolite to greenschist facies. The bulk of the rocks fall into five areally extensive and mutually exclusive fossil zones of the following ages: Permian ( Atomodesma ), Middle Triassic, early Late Triassic (?) ( Torlessia ), Late Triassic ( Monotis ), and Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. Contacts between major fossil zones are mainly tectonic. Petrographic analysis permits subdivision of Torlesse sandstones into five major petrofacies that correspond in age to the five major fossil zones. The sandstone petrofacies (mainly arkosic), together with the composition of conglomerate clasts (mainly indurated Torlesse rocks), indicate that the source terrane was a continental volcano-plutonic arc, probably part of Gondwanaland, coupled with autocannibalistic reworking of older uplifted Torlesse rocks.
In contrast to the quartzofeldspathic nature of the Torlesse, coeval sedimentary rocks of the Eastern Province are volcanogenic. They are thought to represent related forearc-basin (Maitai-Murihiku terranes) and trench-complex (Caples terrane) deposits derived from a volcanic island arc (Brook Street terrane). Three petrofacies are established for Maitai-Murihiku and Caples sandstones. The petrofacies indicate a common, evolving, immature to submature volcanic island arc source for these terranes.
A reconstruction of New Zealand's Eastern and Western Provinces is proposed. In Permian and Triassic times, the Torlesse was deposited in trench, slope, or borderland basins along a trench-transform margin fronting a continental volcano-plutonic arc source (Western Province-Gondwanaland). Deposition was spasmodic but voluminous and was accompanied by concurrent deformation and accretion resulting in parallel belts of Torlesse rock younging outward from the Gondwanaland margin. At the same time, the Brook Street terrane volcanic arc and associated terranes were forming to the west of the Torlesse site, separated from Gondwanaland by a marginal sea. In latest Triassic or Early Jurassic times, the Torlesse was rafted into the volcanic arc system via transform faulting approximately parallel to the Gondwana margin. The collision event resulted in tectonic thickening of Torlesse and Caples rocks at the plate interface and metamorphism to Haast Schist. The source was then dominated by older, partly metamorphosed Torlesse terrane, newly uplifted along the collision front. Closing of the marginal sea behind the Brook Street terrane in Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous times resulted in juxtapositioning with the Western Province (Gondwanaland) along the Median Tectonic Line.
267 citations
TL;DR: These studies indicate that monolithic fibers made of tetracycline-loaded ethylene vinyl acetate have characteristics which could prove useful as the basis of a tetrACYcline delivery system for the treatment of periodontal disease.
Abstract: For the purpose of developing controlled delivery devices for periodontal therapy which would release over several days, six fiber types made of tetracycline-loaded biocompatible polymers were manufactured and tested. Polyethylene, polypropylene, polycaprolactone, polyurethane and cellulose acetate propionate all released their drug load within 1 day. Ethylene vinyl acetate fibers, however, provided in vitro sustained release for periods up to 9 days. A bioassay was designed to measure levels of tetracycline achieved by local delivery which used growth inhibition of Bacillus cereus as a measure of the amount of tetracycline in measured volumes of gingival sulcus fluid on filter paper strips. By this assay, fibers made from 25% loaded ethylene vinyl acetate established initial concentrations of approximately 500 μg/ml. The measurement of tetracycline concentration resulting from the placement of these fibers into deep periodontal pockets as a packing material provided indication that concentrations of > 50...
223 citations
TL;DR: It is reported that tetanization of either MPP or LPP reliably depresses synaptic transmission in the other pathway for at least 3 h, considerably smaller than the usual magnitude of LTP, and was obtained regardless of whether LTP had been produced in the tetanized homosynaptic pathway.
Abstract: All synaptically-based neuropsychological theories of learning postulate that there are changes resulting from neural activity which are long-lasting and confined to specific sets of synapses1–3. In the past decade a form of synaptic strengthening known as long-term potentiation (LTP) has been found which results from high-frequency neural activity and is of sufficient duration to model as a learning mechanism4,5. Some early tests of the synaptic specificity of LTP in area CA1 of the hippocampus indicated that although LTP was specific to the tetanized pathway, in a converging untetanized pathway it was associated with depression of synaptic transmission lasting for at least 30 min6–8. However, others have found that this heterosynaptic depression more usually decays within 5–15 min post-tetanus despite the maintenance of LTP in the tetanized pathway9–13. Similarly, in the dentate gyrus (DG), LTP of either the lateral (LPP) or medial (MPP) components of the perforant path afferents has been associated with only short-lasting reciprocal heterosynaptic depression14. Here, using more detailed measurement of stimulus intensity curves, we report that tetanization of either MPP or LPP reliably depresses synaptic transmission in the other pathway for at least 3 h. This heterosynaptic depression, considerably smaller than the usual magnitude of LTP, was obtained regardless of whether LTP had been produced in the tetanized homosynaptic pathway. Heterosynaptic long-term depression was not observed if the test pathway had been previously tetanized.
198 citations
TL;DR: To quantify the water depth, water velocity, and substrate used by adult brown trout Salmo trutta for feeding and spawning in rivers in New Zealand, it was found that brown trout prefer specific magnitudes of environmental variables and occupy positions through choice.
Abstract: This study's objective was to quantify the water depth, water velocity, and substrate used by adult brown trout Salmo trutta for feeding and spawning in rivers. General hypotheses were: (1) brown trout prefer specific magnitudes of environmental variables and occupy positions through choice; (2) the preferred value of any variable for a particular activity is the same in all rivers; (3) brown trout prefer different values of the same variable for different activities. Surface observation was used to locate 140 feeding and 140 spawning positions used by brown trout in both isolated and sympatric (with rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri) populations in six diverse rivers in New Zealand. Brown trout (mean fork length 42 cm) preferred a mean depth of 65.0 cm and a mean velocity of 26.7 cm second−1 at the position occupied by the fish for feeding, but for spawning they preferred a mean depth of 31.7 cm, a mean velocity of 39.4 cm second−1, and a mean substrate size of 14.0 mm. Analysis of variance showed b...
195 citations
TL;DR: The infective pattern of taeniids in their intermediate hosts is determined by the complex interaction of parasite- and host-related factors, and particular emphasis has been placed on environmental factors that affect the free-living egg.
Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter describes the environmental factors that modify the survival and infectivity of eggs and the mechanisms and agents that are responsible for their dispersal. The infective pattern of a parasite within a host population is described by both the mean level of infection and its distribution within the population. The factors that influence the infective patterns of the parasites are parasite-related and host-related factors. The parasite-related factors influencing the infective pattern include the number of eggs and their distribution in the environment, whereas the host-related factors include natural and acquired resistance and the feeding behavior patterns. The infective pattern of taeniids in their intermediate hosts is determined by the complex interaction of parasite- and host-related factors. The variability in maturity within the egg population results in variation in infectivity. The stability of a biological system describes its ability to return to equilibrium after wide fluctuations in its population components. The overall stability of a host-parasite system is a product of the complex interaction of stabilizing and destabilizing forces. The factors that influence stability include inter alia, over dispersion of parasites within the host population, immunological response of the host, time delays in reproduction and transmission, and reproduction of the parasite within the host.
98 citations
01 Jan 1983
98 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the electrokinetic charge on colloidal particles was measured in the Taieri Estuary, New Zealand, simultaneously with measurements of the electrical conductance of colloid particles.
95 citations
88 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that the high localization of cellular Pt in the cytosol and the presence of a high proportion as non-protein bound species may be important factors in relation to the therapeutic as well as the toxic effects of cis-DDP.
TL;DR: It is shown that individual fibre components have different colonic metabolic effects and support the view that associations between dietary fibre intakes and diseases such as colorectal cancer should be evaluated with regard to the type of fibre components consumed.
Abstract: Randomized cross-over studies were undertaken to determine the effects of daily dietary supplements of pectin (12 g/d), cellulose (15 g/d) and lignin (12 g/d) on stool characteristics of healthy volunteers. Detailed dietary records were kept throughout the study. Stool collections over 48 h were used to determine mean stool pH and weight. The single stool transit time was measured using radio-opaque markers. Pectin did not significantly alter the mean stool pH, transit time or 24 h wet weight. Cellulose lowered the mean stool pH from 6.38 to 6.12, decreased mean stool transit time by 27% and increased mean wet stool weight by 57%. Lignin lowered the mean pH from 6.34 to 6.25, decreased the stool transit time by 20% and increased stool weight by 27% but these changes were not statistically significant. These findings have shown that individual fibre components have different colonic metabolic effects and support the view that associations between dietary fibre intakes and diseases such as colorectal cancer should be evaluated with regard to the type of fibre components consumed.
TL;DR: It is suggested that in OOPX rats consuming a low calcium diet, increased NaCl intake causes decreased renal tubular reabsorption of calcium and consequently lowered plasma Ca++, which results in stimulation of parathyroid hormone secretion and thus increased bone resorption.
Abstract: This study was undertaken to determine whether dietary supplements of NaCl would exaggerate osteopenia in oophorectomized (OOPX) rats consuming a low calcium (0.01% Ca) diet. Thirty 300 g OOPX rats with 45Ca-labeled bones were studied. Animals in group 1 were killed at the start of the experiment, whereas those in groups 2 and 3 were fed a low calcium diet for 2 months. Group 3 rats received NaCl (8 g/100 g diet). Salt increased the urinary excretion of sodium, calcium, phosphate, cyclic AMP, 45Ca and hydroxyproline but did not augment fecal excretion of calcium or 45Ca. Salt caused bone loss. The femora of NaCl-treated rats contained less 45Ca, less calcium, less phosphate and less mineral ash than those of rats killed at the start of the experiment. It is suggested that in OOPX rats consuming a low calcium diet, increased NaCl intake causes decreased renal tubular reabsorption of calcium and consequently lowered plasma Ca++. This results in stimulation of parathyroid hormone secretion and thus increased bone resorption. We conclude that NaCl supplements exacerbate osteopenia in adult OOPX rats consuming a low calcium diet. The effects of high dietary salt intakes on bone loss in postmenopausal women deserve further study.
TL;DR: It is advised to determine both high density lipoproteins and serum cholesterol levels in patients with undiagnosed multifocal neuropathy or syringomyelia-like syndromes in order to exclude a diagnosis of Tangier disease.
Abstract: Peripheral nerve morphometry was assessed in four patients with Tangier disease. Three patients with a relapsing and remitting multiple mononeuropathy had prominent peripheral nerve demyelination and remyelination with affected internodes clustered along particular nerve fibres. Putative lipid vacuoles were almost exclusively confined in this multifocal neuropathy syndrome to Remak cells. By contrast a fourth patient with a slowly progressive syringomyelia-like neuropathy had advanced peripheral nerve degeneration and a more global distribution of lipid vacuoles within peripheral nerve. A review of Tangier disease in the literature indicated the possibility of additional peripheral nerve syndromes. The clinical heterogeneity raises the possibility of different metabolic errors in Tangier disease or a common metabolic error subject to genetic influences. The results of this study indicate that normal serum cholesterol levels do not exclude a diagnosis of Tangier disease. It is therefore advisable to determine both high density lipoproteins and serum cholesterol levels in patients with undiagnosed multifocal neuropathy or syringomyelia-like syndromes.
TL;DR: In this article, a questionnaire dealing with the operation of the bank and shop transactions was given to Hong Kong boys, aged 6 to 13, and the results showed that the experience was found to produce a significant improvement in the understanding of bank among 10 to 13 year old boys, and of shop profit among 8 to 10 year old children.
TL;DR: It is clearly demonstrated that cigarette smoking had a more pronounced and significant effect on whole blood cadmium levels than the intake of Cadmium via oysters.
TL;DR: It is concluded that whole nerve biopsy should be recommended in preference to fascicular biopsy since it is simpler, has greater diagnostic potential, and allows for a more complete morphological evaluation.
Abstract: Sural nerve regeneration and sensation were evaluated in 16 subjects five or more years after fascicular or whole nerve biopsy. Conduction studies demonstrated successful nerve regeneration in all subjects who had whole nerve biopsy. Postbiopsy interrogation revealed no long-term pain or paresthesias but a high incidence of tactile-induced dysesthesias. No significant difference was seen when areas of sural sensory loss were compared in fascicular and whole nerve biopsy groups. We conclude that whole nerve biopsy should be recommended in preference to fascicular biopsy since it is simpler, has greater diagnostic potential, and allows for a more complete morphological evaluation.
TL;DR: V̇E, tidal volume, respiratory frequency, and arterial and end‐tidal gas tensions were measured in tracheostomized New Zealand white rats anaesthetized with an initial dose of pentobarbitone followed by repeated small doses to ensure that a weak limb‐withdrawal reflex remained.
Abstract: 1. Ventilation ( V(E)), tidal volume (V(T)), respiratory frequency (f) and arterial and end-tidal gas tensions were measured in seventy-one tracheostomized New Zealand white rats ( approximately 405 g) anaesthetized with an initial dose of pentobarbitone followed by repeated small doses to ensure that a weak limb-withdrawal reflex remained.2. O(2) consumption (1.2 ml (s.t.p.d.) min(-1) 100 g(-1)), CO(2) production (1.0 ml (s.t.p.d.) min(-1) 100 g(-1)), heart rate (357 min(-1)), V(E) (43 ml min(-1) 100 g(-1)), P(a,CO2) (34 mmHg) and P(a,O2) (84 mmHg) in the control periods did not change significantly during the course of the experiment.3. Inspirates of 21% O(2) with 2-10% CO(2), 15, 10 or 7.5% O(2) with either no or sufficient CO(2) to maintain normocapnia and 15 or 10% O(2) with 4, 6 or 8% CO(2) were tested. Steady-state responses were measured after 2 min of exposure.4. Hypoxic-hypercapnic interaction on V(E), V(T) and f determined by a three-inspirate test ((i) hypoxia alone, (ii) hypercapnia and (iii) these hypoxic and hypercapnic levels combined) yielded various conclusions depending on the level of asphyxia examined. Essentially, the milder the asphyxia the more the interaction appeared additive or even multiplicative and the stronger the asphyxia the more the interaction appeared occlusive. However, this test is unsuitable for accurately showing interactions because the P(a,O2) achieved in asphyxia was higher than in hypoxia and the asphyxial P(a,CO2) was lower than in hypercapnia.5. For isoxic conditions (P(a,O2) = 97, 77 and 51 mmHg), V(E) and V(T) were related linearly to P(a,CO2) whilst f was related hyperbolically with convexity upwards (P(a,O2) 97 mmHg) or downwards (P(a,O2) 77 and 51 mmHg).6. For isocapnic conditions (P(a,CO2) = 33, 40 and 48 mmHg), V(E) and V(T) were inversely related to P(a,O2) with a hyperbolic curve (convexity downwards) whilst f was inversely and linearly related (P(a,CO2) 33 mmHg) or constant (P(a,CO2) 40 and 48 mmHg).7. Multivariate analyses showed that the hypoxic-hypercapnic interaction was additive for V(T) but occlusive for V(E) and f and the occlusion was more severe in the latter. This was illustrated graphically for the variable plotted against P(a,CO2) or P(a,O2) as parallel shifts in regression lines for V(T), flatter regression lines for V(E) during asphyxia and a virtually constant f during asphyxia.8. V(E) responses and sensitivities to hypoxia and hypercapnia, the shape of V(E), V(T) and f regression lines against P(a,O2) and P(a,CO2) and the type of hypoxic-hypercapnic interaction on each variable in the rat were compared with other species.9. Possible causes of the occlusive hypoxic-hypercapnic interaction in the rat were considered.
TL;DR: Analysis of registration data for large-bowel cancer for the whole of New Zealand in the years 1972 to 1975 confirmed that females have a higher incidence of right-sided colonic cancer and males aHigher incidence of rectal cancer and showed a significant trend in this direction from the ascending colon toward the rectum.
Abstract: A review of patients with large-bowel cancer at a major New Zealand hospital showed an excess of right-sided colonic tumors in females compared with males. These observations stimulated analysis of the National Cancer Registry registration data for large-bowel cancer for the whole of New Zealand in the years 1972 to 1975 (4678 patients). Rates for each site were calculated and age-standardized, using world population figures. The findings confirmed that females have a higher incidence of right-sided colonic cancer and males a higher incidence of rectal cancer and showed a significant trend in this direction from the ascending colon toward the rectum. The observed differences between males and females suggest differences in the etiology of the tumor and should be taken into account in assessing modalities and outcomes of treatment.
TL;DR: The principal advantage of this preparation is that it permits both excitatory and inhibitory responses to be elicited by stimulation of vagal and sympathetic nerves separately in the isolated trachea in the absence of agonist and antagonist drugs.
Abstract: An isolated preparation of the guinea-pig trachea with intact parasympathetic and sympathetic innervation has been devised. Responses to nerve stimulation were recorded as increases or decreases in intraluminal pressure from the fluid-filled trachea. The preparation maintained a positive resting intraluminal pressure of 3-4 cmH2O. This was unaffected by atropine, hexamethonium or propranolol. Brief pressor responses, which could be completely blocked by atropine or hexamethonium, were obtained by applying short trains of stimuli to the cervical segment of the right vagus. The amplitude of responses was frequency-dependent up to a maximum at 40 Hz. Depressor responses, more delayed and prolonged than the pressor responses and blocked by propranolol but not by hexamethonium, were obtained by stimulation of the right cervical sympathetic trunk or stellate ganglion in 70% of preparations. Dual pressor-depressor responses were observed in the remaining 30% of preparations. The pressor component was blocked by atropine, the depressor component by propranolol. In the presence of atropine and propranolol, sustained sympathetic stimulation sometimes evoked a small, delayed pressor response which was blocked by phentolamine. Under the same conditions, transmural stimulation produced a depressor response evidently due to non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic nerves. Spontaneous activity was observed in some preparations under normal conditions, but could always be evoked by hypoxia. Responses to sympathetic stimulation were reduced both by hypoxia and during periods of spontaneous activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
TL;DR: In this paper, the characteristics of children identified as having behavior problems by a parent, by a teacher, or by both parent and teacher were investigated, including those of the mother, the family, and the child him/herself.
Abstract: This study investigated the characteristics of children identified as having behaviour problems by a parent, by a teacher, or by both parent and teacher. Characteristics studied included those of the mother, the family, and the child him/herself. Results indicated differential associations between these background characteristics and problem behaviour, depending upon whether the parent, the teacher, or both perceived a problem. The findings point to the need for a careful description of children with behaviour problems based upon both parent and teacher reports.
TL;DR: The energy-momentum tensor for a conformally invariant scalar field near a Schwarzschild black hole in thermal equilibrium with radiation is found by a combination of analytical and numerical techniques as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The energy-momentum tensor for a conformally invariant scalar field near a Schwarzschild black hole in thermal equilibrium with radiation is found by a combination of analytical and numerical techniques Calculations are performed in the Euclidean section of the spacetime, and divergences isolated using the heat kernel expansion It is found that the results agree well with those of Candelas [1], but that there are significant differences from the Gaussian approximation of Page [2]
01 Jun 1983
TL;DR: In this article, an equilibrium model for the scavenging of reactive metals from the deep ocean based on metal ion complexation by suspended particles covered with an organic film resembling marine humic acid or salicyclic acid was described.
Abstract: An equilibrium model for the scavenging of reactive metals from the deep ocean based on metal ion complexation by suspended particles covered with an organic film resembling marine humic acid or salicyclic acid was described recently by Balistrieri, Brewer and Murray (Deep-Sea Research, 28, 101–121, 1981). Here it is shown that the model can account quantitatively for the residence times of Th, Fe, Sc, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cd in the deep ocean provided corrections are made for the competitive effects of ligand ionization.
TL;DR: Two groups of reactivities appear to be related to NC: those which have been identified in the context of aberrant lymphocyte homing, and for which allogeneic lymphocytes are the targets; and the group of natural resistance systems which includes NK cells, and whose reactivity is directed against a variety of other target cells.
Abstract: In many strain combinations among inbred rats, intravenously injected 51Cr-labelled lymphocytes are destroyed in substantial numbers by unsensitized allogeneic hosts. Destruction of cells (referred to as natural cytotoxicity (NC)) occurs within a few hours of injection, and is characterised by a decreased accumulation of radioactivity in the lymph nodes and increased renal excretion of label by allogeneic hosts, as compared with the distribution of label in syngeneic recipients of the same cell suspension. An intact spleen is necessary for killing. The level of NC expressed is consistent for a given donor-host combination. Using arbitrary criteria to compare the levels of NC expressed by different donor-host combinations among inbred rats, 13 of 95 strain combinations have been shown to express high NC, 63 intermediate NC and 19 low NC. The level of NC expressed cannot be correlated with the extent to which donor and host differ in respect of known MHC genes. Segregation analysis has shown high NC to be controlled by at least 2 independently segregating genes, one of which is MHC-linked. It is possible to weaken or abrogate NC by the neonatal injection of bone-marrow cells from the donor strain, and to reverse this reduced reactivity by the injection of host strain lymphocytes. The substitution of either the donor (P1) or the host (P2) by the P1 X P2)F1 hybrid reduces or eliminates NC in strain combinations normally expressing high NC. It is currently uncertain whether NC can be augmented. In the single strain combination in which maturation has been studied, NC becomes evident during the 4th week of life and attains adult levels during the 6th-7th weeks. NC is at least partially radio-sensitive. Two groups of reactivities appear to be related to NC: (i) those which have been identified in the context of aberrant lymphocyte homing, and for which allogeneic lymphocytes are the targets; (ii) the group of natural resistance systems which includes NK cells, and whose reactivity is directed against a variety of other target cells.
TL;DR: The Pounamu Ultramafic Belt as mentioned in this paper is a series of parallel or en echelon lenses and layers of ultramafics and mafic rocks defining a northeaststriking, 2 km wide zone in garnet zone Haast Schists of North Westland.
Abstract: The Pounamu Ultramafics comprise a series of parallel or en echelon lenses and layers of ultramafic and mafic rocks defining a northeaststriking, 2 km wide zone (the Pounamu Ultramafic Belt — PUB) in garnet zone Haast Schists of North Westland. In their most coherent form, the Pounamu Ultramafics comprise serpentinite, gabbro, polymict igneous breccia, and metabasite. Gabbros are intruded by feldsparphyric dikes and unconformably overlain by breccia. Breccia or metabasite is overlain sequentially by a pelagic sequence including: interlaminated limestone and chert, phosphate lenses, and a massive porphyroblastic biotite schist; and a terrigenous series of thin-bedded, upward younging units of graded quartzofeldspathic sandstone and siltstone, similar to distal turbidite lithologies from the western Torlesse terrane. Similar upward grading quartzofeldspathic metasediments occur beneath the ultramafic unit. The Pounamu Ultramafics are interpreted as an ophiolite segment representing the basement to ...
TL;DR: FragFragments of small dolphins from the Pinpa and Ericmas faunas of the fluvial-lacustrine Middle Miocene Namba Formation, Tarkarooloo Basin, Lake Frome area, represent an indeterminate genus and species of the extinct family Rhabdosteidae as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Fragmentary remains of small dolphins from the Pinpa and Ericmas faunas of the fluvial-lacustrine Middle Miocene Namba Formation, Tarkarooloo Basin, Lake Frome area, represent an indeterminate genus and species of the extinct family Rhabdosteidae (= Eurhinodelphidae). They provide evidence of a marine connection of the Tarkarooloo Basin before or during the Middle Miocene and constitute the first record of rhabdosteids from Australia. Rhabdosteids have been recorded previously in the Southern Hemisphere only from Patagonia and, provisionally, New Zealand. Hitherto, rhabdosteids have not been reported from fluvial-lacustrine sediments.
TL;DR: The incidence of emotional attachment to soft toys and blankets, and sucking habits was studied in two samples of children, and there was a positive association between sucking and attachment to objects at all ages.
Abstract: Summary The incidence of emotional attachment to soft toys and blankets, and sucking habits was studied in two samples of children. Mothers of one sample were interviewed when the children were 1.5, 2 and 2.5 years old, and mothers of the other sample answered questionnaires when their children were 3.5, 5 and 7 years old. Strong emotional attachment to objects, and thumb or finger sucking were most prevalent around 2 years of age. There was a positive association between sucking and attachment to objects at all ages. Clinging, sucking and movement habits merge into one another and serve the same function of easing the transition from waking to sleeping, from high arousal to low arousal.
TL;DR: In this paper, Bacillus thuringiensis var. darmstadiensis (Btd) crystals were used to detect crystal-associated protease activity, and they were found to be at pH 8.4 and 9.7, and at 15 and 35°C.
Abstract: 14C-labelled Bacillus thuringiensis var. darmstadiensis (Btd) crystals were used to detect crystal-associated protease activity. Optimal protease activity occurred at pH 8.4 and 9.7, and at 15 and 35°C. Protease activity was destroyed by heating the crystals at 121°C for 15 min. Cellular enzymes from Btd did not solubilise Btd crystals. Iodoacetic acid (50 mM) caused a 20% reduction in protease activity while phenylmethyl-sulphonylfluoride (PMSF), ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and p-chloromercuribenzene (PCMB) had no inhibitory effect on protease activity.
TL;DR: It is suggested that altered morphology of the posterior pubo-urethral ligaments is unlikely to be an etiological factor in genuine stress incontinence and it is postulated that the ligaments may play a role in stabilising the proximal urethra or assist in bladder-neck opening during voiding.