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Background Psoriasis is a heterogeneous disease in its clinical expression. Both genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of the inflammatory and hyperproliferative components of the typical skin lesions. Predisposing genetic influences include associations with human leucocyte antigens (HLA) of which that with HLA-Cw6 is the strongest. Guttate psoriasis is a specific clinical manifestation of psoriasis frequently associated with group A β-haemolytic streptococcal throat infection.
Objectives We set out to determine whether further clinical subdivision of psoriasis is associated with tighter correlation with HLA-C alleles.
Patients/methods We determined the HLA-C locus genotype of 29 caucasian patients with guttate psoriasis presenting consecutively with guttate psoriasis associated with a h...
Long-term nutritional background is thought to influence hypothalamic appetite and reproductive neuroendocrine responses to short-term nutritional feedback. In order to investigate this phenomenon, the effects of intracerebroventricular administration of insulin or neuropeptide-Y (NPY) on LH secretion and voluntary food intake (VFI) were examined in sheep that were initially thin and kept on an increasing nutritional plane (INP), or initially fat and kept on a decreasing nutritional plane (DNP), for 10 weeks. Intracerebroventricular insulin stimulated LH secretion and suppressed VFI in INP sheep when initially thin, but not when they became fat, and had no effect on LH in DNP sheep when initially fat, and stimulated LH secretion when they became thin. Intracerebroventricular NPY had no effect on LH or VFI in INP sheep when initially th...
The uses of sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080) a vertebrate predacide in the USA and Australia are reviewed. The US applications centre on control of native species, while many of Australia’s vertebrate pests are introduced species. This, coupled the natural resistance of some Australian native fauna to 1080, has contributed to different patterns of use in both countries and different public altitudes to control programmes. The 1080 case corrects the omission of vertebrate pest control examples from the discussions of pest control in school biology texts, and highlights the interplay of economics, public opinion, bio-ethics, and biological principles in pest control programmes. Exercises on scientific vs emotive writing, data presentation, and co-evolution in Australia are suggested as possible curriculum extension exercises.
Mineral deficiencies in eucalypts are common in nursery-grown seedlings and during the early establishment phase in plantations. Five categories of deficiency symptoms have been observed: leaf chlorosis, leaf necrosis, leaf reddening due to accumulation of anthocyanins, leaf deformation and dieback of shoot tips. A key to deficiency symptoms based on symptoms which have been verified in pot or field trials is presented. Symptoms of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, boron and molybdenum deficiencies are described and illustrated in colour. Factors such as nutrient toxicity, air pollutants and fungicides which can result in damage to eucalypt foliage are discussed, and selected examples illustrated in colour. Understanding the behaviour and function of nutrients in the tree should...
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-coupled single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) approaches utilizing nuclear DNA regions of the small subunit (SSU) of ribosomal RNA and heat shock protein 70 gene (HSP70) were established for genotyping Cryptosporidium parvum. The regions were amplified (individually or in a multiplex reaction) by PCR from DNA extracted from oocysts from ruminant or human hosts, then denatured and subjected to electrophoresis in a mutation detection enhancement (nondenaturing) gel matrix. Single-strand profiles produced in SSCP allowed the unequivocal identification/differentiation of the two common (human, 1 and cattle, 2) genotypes of C. parvum and the direct display of sequence variability within some samples, reflecting population variation. As these are considered among the most closely related genotypes (ba...
The airway mucosal response to allergen in asthma involves influx of activated T helper type 2 cells and eosinophils, transient airflow obstruction, and airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR). The mechanism(s) underlying transient T cell activation during this inflammatory response is unclear. We present evidence that this response is regulated via bidirectional interactions between airway mucosal dendritic cells (AMDC) and T memory cells. After aerosol challenge, resident AMDC acquire antigen and rapidly mature into potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs) after cognate interactions with T memory cells. This process is restricted to dendritic cells (DCs) in the mucosae of the conducting airways, and is not seen in peripheral lung. Within 24 h, antigen-bearing mature DCs disappear from the airway wall, leaving in their wake activated interleu...
The Phytophthora culture collection of the Vegetation Health Service of the Department of Environment and Conservation of Western Australia (WA) has been re-evaluated using DNA sequencing (Burgess et al., 2009). This has revealed many undescribed taxa previously classified as known morpho-species, one of which has recently been described as P. multivora (Scott et al., 2009).
The aim of this study was to describe three of these taxa, all of which occur in WA native ecosystems. They were compared with both the morphological species to which they are most similar and their closest phylogenetic relatives. In addition, the pathogenicity of these taxa was assessed in glasshouse trials.
DNA is a stable and abundant molecule that can persevere in the environment for thousands of years post mortem. The amplification and sequencing of DNA from “old” fossil and museum samples can provide valuable insights into past biodiversity, extinctions, taxonomy molecular evolution and conservation.
Prior to human settlement 700 years ago New Zealand had no terrestrial mammals — apart from three species of bats - instead approximately 250 avian species dominated the ecosystem half of which are now extinct. This presentation will discuss two of the major players in the pre-human ecosystem; the Moa (a member of the ratite group of birds) and the giant NZ eagle. DNA isolated from fossils has helped clarify both the taxonomy and evolution of these birds and further demonstrates the remarkable evolutionary processes that occur within ...
Objectives: To assess how developing knowledge surrounding combination antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV infection since mid-1 996 has altered how drugs are used in Australia. Methods: Time trends in use of antiretroviral treatment were calculated on patients recruited to the Australian HIV Observational Database. For each six month period, patients were on one or more antiretroviral drugs for at least two weeks. Other patients were in the no-treatment group. Patients receiving antiretrovirals for more than two weeks were allocated to the category of treatment (mono, double or triple-plus therapy) they received for the longest period. Results: 1476 patients were recruited by September 2000. Of patients currently receiving antiretroviral therapy, 32 per cent took three or more antiretrovirals including an HIV protease ...
This thesis examines a number of issues concerning the free trade doctrine, regionalism and Regional Free Trade Areas (FTAs), with a special focus on the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). This study is broadly divided into three parts. The first part examines the doctrine of free trade from the perspectives of ideological belief as well as theoretical expositions, and how these influence trade policies of many countries throughout the history of trade. The second part of the study analyses the forces that influence the formation of regionalism and regional FTAs all over the world. In the first and second parts, an extensive survey of the existing literature is undertaken to unearth relevant ideas and events, which are important to policy makers and the general public.
The third part of the study deals primarily with empirical investiga...
