Perceptions of diabetes among rural Maori elders and spokespersons

AIMS: To assess knowledge and opinions of diabetes among rural Maori elders and spokespersons. METHODS: Interviews were conducted in rural South Auckland. Subjects were identified through their affiliation with one marae (meeting house), residence near the marae and being recognised locally as either male (kaumatua) or female (kuia) elders or spokespersons. The main researcher was a kuia chosen by and from within the local community. Interviews were conducted with 43/44 (98%) subjects identified. RESULTS: While specific diabetes knowledge was low, diabetes was seen, along with cancer, as one of the two major health issues for Maori. Results need to be understood in the context of the holistic understanding of health by Maori. CONCLUSION: The recognition of diabetes as a major health problem was accompanied by a call for diabetes education in a form that will generate interest and participation by Maori. It is timely for the introduction of marae based diabetes awareness and sustained exercise programmes as part of a diabetes prevention and control strategy among Maori communities where diabetes risk is high.     

Polymer outdoor insulating materials. II. Material considerations

The following article is Part II of a three-part series on the use of polymer insulating materials in outdoor insulation applications. Despite three decades of service history, polymer insulation materials do not have the same level of standardization as porcelain. As with any technology that is not well standardized, misunderstanding and confusion result, which can influence user selection and application. The objective of this series is to review the benefits of polymer insulating materials. Part II discusses the factors that affect the engineering of materials and addresses the validity of some industry perceptions. A future article will explore some of the material science aspects of silicone elastomer materials by using the case of a hybrid insulator design     

Effect of essential fatty acid depletion on tissue phospholipid fatty acids in spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats

Weanling male spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive (WKY) rats were maintained on a fat-free semisynthetic diet and killed at various intervals. The effects of fat-depletion on the appearance of essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency symptoms, the progressive changes of major fatty acids in plasma, liver, heart, and kidney phospholipids (PL), and in skin total lipids were compared between these two strains. After five weeks on the diet, the slower growth and the appearance of EFA deficiency symptoms became evident in SHR. In general, fat-depletion reduced the levels of n−6 fatty acids, whereas it increased those of 20∶3n−9. However, the fat-depletion induced reduction of 18∶2n−6 in heart PL and 20∶4n−6 in kidney, while the elevation of 20∶3n−9 in plasma, heart, and kidney PL were greater in WKY than in SHR. As a result, the elevation of biochemical EFA deficiency index—20∶3n−9/20∶4n−6 ratio—was greater in WKY than in SHR. In comparison with WKY, the concentrations of liver triacylglycerols and the weights of adipose tissues in SHR were reduced to a greater extent, indicating an active catabolism of triacylglycerols in SHR. This study suggests that the earlier appearance of morphological symptoms of EFA deficiency in SHR was not associated with the reducing n−6 EFA levels or with an elevation of triene/tetraene ratio, but possibly to a reduced supply of n−6 EFA for skin prostaglandin synthesis.     

Kinetic and Stability Study of an Investigative Antirhinovirus Compound

A hydrolytic acid and base catalyzed ring opening reaction has been demonstrated for a 1,2,4-oxadiazole antiviral compound (WIN 63843) resulting mainly in an amidoxime product. Decomposition products and related impurities were detected using a gradient HPLC method. The hydrolysis reaction was first-order for 35% ethanol/buffer solutions in a 50°C chamber or a light cabinet (1000 ft-candles), the greatest stability being between pH 4 and 6. Furthermore, increasing ethanol concentrations resulted in a great decrease in reaction rates. Therefore, for oral or aerosol solution formulations, light protection, pH control between 4 and 6 and the highest permissible ethanol concentrations would be advantageous. This study has shown that the highly electronegative trifluoromethyl group at the 5 position increases the lability of a 1,2,3-oxdiazole compound.     

Heat flow near Orlando,Florida and Uvalde,Texas determined from well cuttings

Heat flow has been determined in a borehole near Orlando. Florida and another near Uvalde, Texas. Thermal conductivities in both boreholes were obtained by divided-bar measurements on rock discs and by needle-probe measurements on rock chips. For the needle-probe method, the rock chips were pulverized into powder, saturated with water, and the conductivity of the solid rock was obtained from the conductivity of the mixture by an empirical relationship. Divided-bar measurements for the Florida borehole indicate a heat flow of 0.92 = .03 H.F.U., while needle-probe measurements on rock chips show a heat flow of 1.24 = .06 H.F.U. The discrepancy is attributed to anisotropy of the sedimentary rocks penetrated by the borehole. Heat flow obtained from these two different methods of determining conductivity show good agreement in the Texas borehole. Divided-bar measurements indicate a heat flow of 1.08 = .03 H.F.U. while the chip technique gives a value of 1.13 = .03 H.F.U.     

Release of reduced inorganic selenium species into waters by the green fresh water algae Chlorella vulgaris

The common green fresh water algae Chlorella vulgaris was exposed to starting concentrations of 10 μg/L selenium in the form of selenate, selenite, or selenocyanate (SeCN(-)) for nine days in 10% Bold's basal medium. Uptake of selenate was more pronounced than that of selenite, and there was very little uptake of selenocyanate. Upon uptake of selenate, significant quantities of selenite and selenocyanate were produced by the algae and released back into the growth medium; no selenocyanate was released after selenite uptake. Release of the reduced metabolites after selenate exposure appeared to coincide with increasing esterase activity in solution, indicating that cell death (lysis) was the primary emission pathway. This is the first observation of biotic formation of selenocyanate and its release into waters from a nonindustrial source. The potential environmental implications of this laboratory observation are discussed with respect to the fate of selenium in impacted aquatic systems, the ecotoxicology of selenium bioaccumulation, and the interpretation of environmental selenium speciation data generated, using methods incapable of positively identifying reduced inorganic selenium species, such as selenocyanate.