Lumbar puncture for the generalist

The safe and successful performance of a lumbar puncture demands a working and yet specific knowledge as well as competency in performance. This review aims to aid understanding of the knowledge framework, the pitfalls and complications of lumbar puncture. It includes special reference to three dimensional relationships, functional anatomy, imaging anatomy, normal variation and living anatomy. A lumbar puncture is a commonly performed procedure for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Epidural and spinal anaesthesia, for example, are common in obstetric practice and involve the same technique as a lumbar puncture except for the endpoint of the needle being in the epidural space and subarachnoid space respectively. The procedure is by no means innocuous and some anatomical pitfalls include inability to find the correct entry site for placement of the lumbar puncture needle and lack of awareness of structures in relation to the advancing needle. Headache is the most common complication and it is important to avoid traumatic and dry taps, herniation syndromes and injury to the terminal end of the spinal cord. With a thorough knowledge of the contraindications, the regional anatomy and rationale of the technique and adequate prior skills practice, a lumbar puncture can be performed safely and successfully

The rediscovery of the role of the laity in the mission of the Church – with reference to the Baptist Union of Southern Africa (BUSA)

The role of the laity is at the cutting edge of Christian missions today. The author conducted a number of interviews and questionnaires to determine the status of the laity across denominations of the Christian faith in South Africa. His findings are in a number of instances startling: The picture of the laity, and what lay Christians in South Africa believe, run against general expectations. Some suggestions and proposals on how to empower the laity in general, and the churches of the Baptist Union in Southern Africa (BUSA) in particular, are made. The underlining motive for the research is to encourage the BUSA churches to become truly missional churches that make a difference in the world in which we live.The article is based on the first author’s PhD thesis on The rediscovery of the role of the laity in the mission of the Church – with reference to the Baptist Union of Southern Africa (BUSA), Department of Science of Religion and Missiology, University of Pretoria (April 2009), under the supervision of Professor P.G.J. Meiring.http://www.ve.org.zahttp://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-11032009-090915/nf201

Tropomyosin concentration but not formin nucleators mDia1 and mDia3 determines the level of tropomyosin incorporation into actin filaments

The majority of actin filaments in human cells exist as a co-polymer with tropomyosin, which determines the functionality of actin filaments in an isoform dependent manner. Tropomyosin isoforms are sorted to different actin filament populations and in yeast this process is determined by formins, however it remains unclear what process determines tropomyosin isoform sorting in mammalian cells. We have tested the roles of two major formin nucleators, mDia1 and mDia3, in the recruitment of specific tropomyosin isoforms in mammals. Despite observing poorer cell-cell attachments in mDia1 and mDia3 KD cells and an actin bundle organisation defect with mDia1 knock down;depletion of mDia1 and mDia3 individually and concurrently did not result in any significant impact on tropomyosin recruitment to actin filaments, as observed via immunofluorescence and measured via biochemical assays. Conversely, in the presence of excess Tpm3.1, the absolute amount of Tpm3.1-containing actin filaments is not fixed by actin filament nucleators but rather depends on the cell concentration of Tpm3.1. We conclude that mDia1 and mDia3 are not essential for tropomyosin recruitment and that tropomyosin incorporation into actin filaments is concentration dependent

Aquilegia, Vol. 22 No. 6, November-December 1998: Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society

https://epublications.regis.edu/aquilegia/1087/thumbnail.jp

Aquilegia, Vol. 21 No. 1, January-March 1997: Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society

https://epublications.regis.edu/aquilegia/1082/thumbnail.jp