Rural telecommunications policy reform

This publication summarises the issues and points to possible changes in rural telecommunications policy. The purpose was not to revisit the usual arguments about the cost of the universal service obligation, or the comparison between metropolitan areas and remote areas. It simply aims to draw together clear thinking about the issues, in the hope of a better outcome for users and providers of telecommunications

Measurement of substrate thermal resistance using DNA denaturation temperature

Heat Transfer and Thermal Management have become important aspects of the developing field of uTAS systems particularly in the application of the the uTAS philosophy to thermally driven analysis techniques such as PCR. Due to the development of flowing PCR thermocyclers in the field of uTAS, the authors have previously developed a melting curve analysis technique that is compatible with these flowing PCR thermocyclers. In this approach a linear temperature gradient is induced along a sample carrying microchannel. Any flow passing through the microchannel is subject to linear heating. Fluorescent monitoring of DNA in the flow results in the generation of DNA melting curve plots. This works presents an experimental technique where DNA melting curve analysis is used to measure the thermal resistance of microchannel substrates. DNA in solution is tested at a number of different ramp rates and the di®erent apparent denaturation temperatures measured are used to infer the thermal resistance of the microchannel substrates. The apparent variation in denaturation temperature is found to be linearly proportional to flow ramp rate. Providing knowledge of the microchannel diameter and a non-varying cross-section in the direction of heat flux the thermal resistance measurement technique is independent of knowledge of substrate dimensions, contact surface quality and substrate composition/material properties. In this approach to microchannel DNA melting curve analysis the difference between the measured and actual denaturation temperatures is proportional to the substrate thermal resistance and the ramp-rate seen by the sample. Therefore quantitative knowledge of the substrate thermal resistance is required when using this technique to measure accurately DNA denaturation temperatur

An acute bout of cycling does not induce compensatory responses in pre-menopausal women not using hormonal contraceptives

There is a clear need to improve understanding of the effects of physical activity and exercise on appetite control. Therefore, the acute and short-term effects (three days) of a single bout of cycling on energy intake and energy expenditure were examined in women not using hormonal contraceptives. Sixteen active (n = 8) and inactive (n = 8) healthy pre-menopausal women completed a randomised crossover design study with two conditions (exercise and control). The exercise day involved cycling for 1 h (50% of maximum oxygen uptake) and resting for 2 h, whilst the control day comprised 3 h of rest. On each experimental day participants arrived at the laboratory fasted, consumed a standardised breakfast and an ad libitum pasta lunch. Food diaries and combined heart rate-accelerometer monitors were used to assess free-living food intake and energy expenditure, respectively, over the subsequent three days. There were no main effects or condition (exercise vs control) by group (active vs inactive) interaction for absolute energy intake (P > 0.05) at the ad libitum laboratory lunch meal, but there was a condition effect for relative energy intake (P = 0.004, ηp2 = 0.46) that was lower in the exercise condition (1417 ± 926 kJ vs. 2120 ± 923 kJ). Furthermore, post-breakfast satiety was higher in the active than in the inactive group (P = 0.005, ηp2 = 0.44). There were no main effects or interactions (P > 0.05) for mean daily energy intake, but both active and inactive groups consumed less energy from protein (14 ± 3% vs. 16 ± 4%, P = 0.016, ηp2 = 0.37) and more from carbohydrate (53 ± 5% vs. 49 ± 7%, P = 0.031, ηp2 = 0.31) following the exercise condition. This study suggests that an acute bout of cycling does not induce compensatory responses in active and inactive women not using hormonal contraceptives, while the stronger satiety response to the standardised breakfast meal in active individuals adds to the growing literature that physical activity helps improve the sensitivity of short-term appetite control

Assessment of CHD-specific primers for gender determination in red-billed oxpeckers (buphagus erythrorhynchus)

Red-billed Oxpeckers Buphagus erythrorhynchus are morphologically similar and do not display distinctive phenotypic difference between males and females. The development of DNA-based gender determination techniques constituted a breakthrough in reliable sex determination in birds. Two DNA-based methods of gender determination were evaluated to determine the preferred method for the Red-billed Oxpeckers. DNA-based gender determination of the Red-billed Oxpeckers was conducted so that specific sexes could be relocated  to new release sites within South Africa. The two primer sets used were 2550F/2718R and P2/P8. When comparing the results of the two primer sets, it was determined that 17% (n = 25) of individuals that were identified as having one sex by the 2550F/2718R primer set changed their DNA gender determination when the P2/P8 primer set was used. Based on molecular evidence and the pathology results for three recorded mortalities at the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, it was determined that the P2/P8 primer set would be preferable to the 2550F/2718R primer set for DNA gender determination of Red-billed Oxpeckers. OSTRICH 2010, 81(3): 251–25

Assessment of CHD-specific primers for gender determination in red-billed oxpeckers (buphagus erythrorhynchus)

Red-billed Oxpeckers Buphagus erythrorhynchus are morphologically similar and do not display distinctive phenotypic difference between males and females. The development of DNA-based gender determination techniques constituted a breakthrough in reliable sex determination in birds. Two DNA-based methods of gender determination were evaluated to determine the preferred method for the Red-billed Oxpeckers. DNA-based gender determination of the Red-billed Oxpeckers was conducted so that specific sexes could be relocated  to new release sites within South Africa. The two primer sets used were 2550F/2718R and P2/P8. When comparing the results of the two primer sets, it was determined that 17% (n = 25) of individuals that were identified as having one sex by the 2550F/2718R primer set changed their DNA gender determination when the P2/P8 primer set was used. Based on molecular evidence and the pathology results for three recorded mortalities at the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, it was determined that the P2/P8 primer set would be preferable to the 2550F/2718R primer set for DNA gender determination of Red-billed Oxpeckers. OSTRICH 2010, 81(3): 251–25

Solitonic dispersive hydrodynamics: theory and observation

Ubiquitous nonlinear waves in dispersive media include localized solitons and extended hydrodynamic states such as dispersive shock waves. Despite their physical prominence and the development of thorough theoretical and experimental investigations of each separately, experiments and a unified theory of solitons and dispersive hydrodynamics are lacking. Here, a general soliton-mean field theory is introduced and used to describe the propagation of solitons in macroscopic hydrodynamic flows. Two universal adiabatic invariants of motion are identified that predict trapping or transmission of solitons by hydrodynamic states. The result of solitons incident upon smooth expansion waves or compressive, rapidly oscillating dispersive shock waves is the same, an effect termed hydrodynamic reciprocity. Experiments on viscous fluid conduits quantitatively confirm the soliton-mean field theory with broader implications for nonlinear optics, superfluids, geophysical fluids, and other dispersive hydrodynamic media.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Sibling Genes as Environment: Sibling Dopamine Genotypes and Adolescent Health Support Frequency Dependent Selection

While research consistently suggests siblings matter for individual outcomes, it remains unclear why. At the same time, studies of genetic effects on health typically correlate variants of a gene with the average level of behavioral or health measures, ignoring more complicated genetic dynamics. Using National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data, we investigate whether sibling genes moderate individual genetic expression. We compare twin variation in health-related absences and self-rated health by genetic differences at three locations related to dopamine regulation and transport to test sibship-level cross-person gene–gene interactions. Results suggest effects of variation at these genetic locations are moderated by sibling genes. Although the mechanism remains unclear, this evidence is consistent with frequency dependent selection and suggests much genetic research may violate the stable unit treatment value assumption

Fasciola hepatica:The therapeutic potential of a worm secretome

The success of helminth parasites is partly related to their ability to modulate host immune responses towards an anti-inflammatory/regulatory phenotype. This ability resides with the molecules contained in the secretome of various helminths that have been shown to interact with host immune cells and influence their function. Consequently, there exists a unique opportunity to exploit these molecules for the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of human pro- and auto-inflammatory disorders (for example septic shock, transplant rejection and autoimmune disease). In this review, we describe the mechanisms used by the trematode parasite, Fasciola hepatica, to modulate the immune responses of its host and discuss the potent immune-modulatory effects of three individual molecules within the secretome; namely cathepsin L1, peroxiredoxin and helminth defence molecule. With a focus on the requirements from industry, we discuss the strategies by which these molecules may be clinically developed to control human immune responses in a way that is conducive to the prevention of immune-mediated diseases