192 research outputs found

    The urinary excretion of tryptophan and tryptophan metabolites in the chronic ethanol-fed rat

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    An investigation was made into the hypothesis that chronic ethanol ingestion disturbs the metabolism of tryptophan which is reflected by alterations in the urinary excretion of the metabolites 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), anthranillic acid (AA) and indoleacetic acid (IAA). In particular, we investigated whether experimental chronic alcoholism is associated with a decrease in the tryptophan metabolite ratios as suggested in the literature. Male Wistar rats were chronically fed a nutritionally-complete liquid diet in which ethanol comprised 35% of total calories: controls were pair-fed identical amounts of the same diet in which ethanol was replaced by isocaloric glucose. At 6 weeks, 24 h urine samples were collected for the analysis of tryptophan, 5-HIAA, AA and IAA by HPLC. During ethanol-feeding there were reductions in the daily urinary excretion (i.e. μmol/24 h) of tryptophan (–57%, P = 0·026) and concomitant increases in 5-HIAA excretion (62%, P = 0·057). Expression of data in terms of lean tissue mass (i.e. urinary creatinine) revealed identical conclusions. An analysis was performed on the molar ratios of these urinary analytes. The tryptophan: total metabolite ratio was significantly decreased (by −53%), but the AA: total metabolite ratio was not significantly altered (P = 0·102). The ratios 5-HIAA/AA and 5-HIAA/IAA were slightly increased, but they did not attain statistical significance (P > 0·351). It was concluded that chronic ethanol feeding is associated with significant changes in the urinary excretion of tryptophan and its related metabolites. Many of the above changes were contrary to previous clinical data and this may be due to dietary and nutritional deficiencies or to alterations in the diurnal pattern of 5-hydroxytryptamine and tryptophan metabolism

    Boer War memories : personal experiences / by F.A.B. Daly.

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    2nd ed. First published May 1935.; "On the early stages of the Boer War, 1899-1900."--T.p.; Electronic reproduction. Canberra, A.C.T. : National Library of Australia, 2011.; Library's Whelan copy inscribed and signed by the author

    Licensing Laws: Going their own way

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    Suicide and Homelessness

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    Suicide behaviour rates vary significantly between countries due to a range of cultural, behavioural and health-related factors. Gender and age-related factors also appear to be impor tant key determinants of vulnerability to suicide ideation and suicide completion. The homeless population is particularly at risk, due to multiple complex issues that relate to social exclusion, alcohol, drug, mental health and nutritional issues. Studying homeless people is problematic due to access, the transitory nature of their contact with statutary services, problems of self-repor t and recall in people - some of whom have mental health and cognitive issues. There is an increasing interest from practitioners and academic researchers in spiritual factors that appear to modulate the responses of an individual to the internal and external threats that underlie the motivation to end his or her life. Effective approaches to suicide prevention and crisis management require a good understanding of the interplay between this complex set of biological, psychological and social domains. These will be explored in the final section of this review. This paper, therefore, aims to provide a non-systematic review of the existing literature published in academic journals and relvant ‘grey literature’ and focuses on themes in the literature that will hopefully inform both policy and practice

    Helping children think: Gaze aversion and teaching

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    Looking away from an interlocutor's face during demanding cognitive activity can help adults answer challenging arithmetic and verbal-reasoning questions (Glenberg, Schroeder, & Robertson, 1998). However, such `gaze aversion' (GA) is poorly applied by 5-year-old school children (Doherty-Sneddon, Bruce, Bonner, Longbotham, & Doyle, 2002). In Experiment 1 we trained ten 5-year-old children to use GA while thinking about answers to questions. This trained group performed significantly better on challenging questions compared with 10 controls given no GA training. In Experiment 2 we found significant and monotonic age-related increments in spontaneous use of GA across three cohorts of ten 5-year-old school children (mean ages: 5;02, 5;06 and 5;08). Teaching and encouraging GA during challenging cognitive activity promises to be invaluable in promoting learning, particularly during early primary years

    The Seeds of Exclusion

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    First paragraph: It is in the context of all the factors relating to the social, physical and mental wellbeing of Britain in 2008 that The Salvation Army presents The Seeds of Exclusion report. The research findings must be read in the light of the additional pressures we have identified which may be brought to bear on individuals already living in a society which is becoming increasingly fragmented, chaotic and stressful. The Salvation Army hopes its contribution to this ongoing debate will begin to inform us all, including Government, on how we can avoid the mistakes of the past and begin to mend society

    An extracellular transglutaminase is required for apple pollen tube growth

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    An extracellular form of the calcium-dependent protein-crosslinking enzyme TGase (transglutaminase) was demonstrated to be involved in the apical growth of Malus domestica pollen tube. Apple pollen TGase and its substrates were co-localized within aggregates on the pollen tube surface, as determined by indirect immunofluorescence staining and the in situ cross-linking of fluorescently labelled substrates. TGase-specific inhibitors and an anti-TGase monoclonal antibody blocked pollen tube growth, whereas incorporation of a recombinant fluorescent mammalian TGase substrate (histidine-tagged green fluorescent protein:His6– Xpr–GFP) into the growing tube wall enhanced tube length and germination, consistent with a role of TGase as a modulator of cell wall building and strengthening. The secreted pollen TGase catalysed the cross-linking of both PAs (polyamines) into proteins (released by the pollen tube) and His6-Xpr-GFP into endogenous or exogenously added substrates. A similar distribution of TGase activitywas observed in planta on pollen tubes germinating inside the style, consistent with a possible additional role for TGase in the interaction between the pollen tube and the style during fertilization
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