Alcohol warning labels: are they effective?

Australia does not currently require warning labels on alcohol products, putting Australia out of step with many other countries. Given the potential persuasive power of labels, as well as the rising social costs of alcoholism in the United States (US), government - mandated warning labels were enforced and have appeared on all alcoholic beverage containers manufactured in the US since 1989. The commencement of this warning label system reportedly brought about increased awareness of the risks of excessive alcohol use among consumers in the US. As a result, other countries have followed this lead with at least 20 other countries introducing some kind of mandated warning label, including Brazil, France, India, Portugal, South Africa, Korea, Thailand, and Zimbabwe. There are several other countries considering their introduction (e.g. United Kingdom), or with voluntary labeling in place (e.g. Japan). While Australia does not currently require warning labels on alcohol products, both public health advocates and the alcohol industry are pushing for labels, although it is likely they have different motivations. Medical and advocacy organisations have been campaigning for mandatory (and government regulated) warning labels on alcohol for over a decade. Key advocacy groups include the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), Australian Medical Associa tion (AMA), Salvation Army, and national and state Cancer Councils. These groups are consistent in their calls for strong, specific and mandatory messages on warning labels such as ‘Alcohol can cause brain damage’ (Salvation Army)

Allergenic pollen concentrations in the United Kingdom

This study investigates the variations in the start and severity of the grass and birch pollen seasons at a network of sites in the United Kingdom. Daily grass and birch pollen concentrations have been monitored during the course of the study (1992-1994) at the University of North London site. Retrospective pollen data of up to 30 years in length at London, Cardiff and Derby has been incorporated into the database, along with between 2 and 7 years of retrospective data from 7 other European Aeroallergen Network(UK) sites. Annual grass and birch pollen concentrations, start of season dates and seasonal severities have been identified and analysed in relation to meteorological conditions and local pollen source areas. Variations have been found at the individual sites from year to year, and between the different sites in the same year. Multiple regression analysis has been used on the long term data sets at London, Cardiff and Derby to produce forecast models to enable the prediction of the start of the season and total seasonal grass and birch pollen concentrations at the 3 sites. Data from the other EAN(UK) sites has been incorporated into these models to assess their use on a regional basis. This research has relevance within many subject areas. The long term data sets on which a large part of the thesis is based are of great interest to Aerobiologists in the identification of long term trends in pollen data. The research has relevance to Quaternary palynologists interested in the influence of the source area on the pollen catch. The influence of climate on the seasonal variation of grass species will be of interest to Agriculturalists, Ecologists and Biogeographers. Finally, through the accurate forecasting of the start and severity of the grass and birch pollen seasons, hayfever sufferers are able to have increased knowledge, and therefore may be able to avoid the amount of medical consultation required by means of prophylactic treatment. The research is unique in that it is the first study to be conducted on the UK pollen databank. It is also unique research in that data sets of this length do not exist anywhere else in Europe and probably the world, and therefore this study poses an important piece of research both on a national and an international level

A Role for PI31-Mediated Proteasome Regulation in Proteostasis and Neuronal Health

The specific and timely degradation of proteins is achieved by the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS), which governs a variety of cellular processes such as apoptosis, cell cycle progression, protein quality control, and metabolism. Using this system, cells maintain homeostasis by quickly and irreversibly altering signaling pathways in response to changing environmental stimuli. Protein degradation by UPS requires two consecutive steps, 1) the covalent attachment of the substrate by ubiquitin and 2) the delivery of the substrate to the 26S proteasome for breakdown and recycling of reusable ubiquitin. The 26S proteasome is a 2.5- MDa multicatalytic protease consisting of two subcomplexes: a 20S core particle (CP) and a 19S regulatory particle (RP) that caps one or both ends of the 20S proteasome. Most investigations on proteasome regulation have focused on substrate recognition, binding, deubiquitination, unfolding, and translocation. However, evidence shows that the 26S complex itself can be regulated by the abundance of available subunits, rates of assembly and disassembly, posttranslational modification, localization, and a variety of interacting proteins. Yet, this data is limited and an extensive amount of knowledge remains to be uncovered regarding 26S proteasome regulation since it differs depending on the tissue and cellular context. Aging, for example, leads to reduced proteasome activity but it is unknown how proteasomes are affected throughout the aging process. In this thesis, the aim is to reveal how proteasomes are regulated by changes in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism and how this impacts neurodegeneration. Using Drosophila melanogaster, I describe the necessity for the proteasome regulator, DmPI31, in neuronal maintenance and show that dietary restriction and NAD+ repletion, can regulate both DmPI31 and proteasome activity. Generation of dmPI31 mutant clones in the Drosophila eye show rapid degeneration of photoreceptor cells and RNAi knockdown of DmPI31 leads to eclosion defects and shortened lifespan. I demonstrate the ability of NAD+ repletion to increase proteasome activity and DmPI31 protein levels and show NAD+ acts via DmPI31 to increase 26S proteasome activity. The importance of this pathway is illustrated by the finding that elevated levels of DmPI31 can extend lifespan and partially rescue neuronal degeneration in a Drosophila model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1(SCA1). These results demonstrate a link between NAD+ and proteasomes that may ultimately prove useful for developing interventions that counter the effects of neurodegeneration and allow for an understanding why this system begins to fail in aging and age-associated diseases

Reading Under Cover of the Veil: Oral and Textual Literacies in Antebellum America

This article examines the relationship between oral- and textual-literacy systems that existed during the antebellum period of United States history. I argue that African-American intellectual processes are more accurately understood as existing on a literacy continuum that reflects equality between oral literacy and textual literacy. A literacy continuum deconstructs the notion of the textual supremacy and assumes a mutually dependent relationship between the oral and the textual. Ultimately, it enables a reevaluation of oral practices as intellectual processes and systems of knowledge production. Leaving…the world of the white man, I have stepped within the Veil, raising it that you may view faintly its deeper recesses,—the meaning of its religion, the passion of its human sorrow, and the struggle of its greater souls. —W. E. B. Du Bois, Souls of Black Fol

How an after school environmental science club can increase environmental knowledge: Awareness and sensitivity towards the environment for third and fourth grade students

Children today are disconnected from the natural environment around them, sometimes finding it annoying, lacking in excitement, and little use to them. Their attention and focus are spent inside watching TV, playing games on computers or a variety of other electronic devices. The purpose of this project was to see if after-school exposure to an Enirovnmental Science Club on the school grounds can impact student attitudes toward our local environment and to increase these third and fourth grade students\u27 knowledge and awareness of their environment

It\u27s not just researchers who need a new agenda

An extensive review of alcohol policy published in the Lancet concluded that: ‘Making alcohol more expensive and less available, and banning alcohol advertising, are highly cost effective strategies to reduce harm’. Unfortunately, calls to ban or restrict alcohol advertising (such as calls to increase price) have been rejected by governments in most countries. Thus, as Meier states, there is a need to provide evidence of the effects of alcohol advertising on young people in order to encourage the government to take action to reduce, or eliminate, the most harmful forms of alcohol promotion (which may, or may not, be ‘advertising’ per se

A review of the consistency of pamphlets promoting mammographic screening in Australia

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in Australia and the most common cause of cancer death in Australian women. Early detection of breast cancers with mammography has the potential to dramatically reduce mortality rates. Thus, there is an obvious need for clear, accurate information about breast cancer screening to be disseminated to Australian women. A 1997 review of breast cancer screening pamphlets in Australia noted some inconsistencies in the nature and content of the information provided, and recommended that these be addressed. The current study, conducted in January 2001, examined whether consistency has improved since the 1997 review. A total of 35 items were identified which met the inclusion criteria. These were reviewed for consistency across five specific content areas. The materials were largely consistent in their coverage of causes, risk factors, and screening information. However, considerable inconsistencies were identified for the estimated lifetime risk of developing breast cancer and for symptoms of breast cancer. These inconsistencies are disturbing because they appear in the two areas where accurate information is most likely to contribute to increased screening, detection and treatment of breast cancer