Conceptualization of psychiatric illness and help-seeking behavior among Chinese

Problem conceptualizations of Chinese psychiatric patients were studied in relation to the patterns of help-seeking and ways of coping. Patients who conceptualized their initial problems in purely psychological terms were more likely to use self-directed psychological coping methods, delay initial professional consultation, and approach mental health professionals. Patients who used only somatic concepts were least likely to approach mental health professionals initially or any time during their previous consultation history, and tended to approach medical resources to cope with their problems. Patients who conceptualized their problems in mixed terms approached professional help early on and reached psychiatric resources soonest. These results provide a clearer perspective to understand the somatization tendency among Chinese patients.     

Growth and proteoglycan metabolism of chick embryonic cartilaginous long bone rudiments and of isolated epiphyses

Summary Turnover of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteoglycans was studied in chick cartilaginous femur rudiments grown in organ culture. Femora from six-day-old embryos showed nearly normal growth rates during the first few days in culture. By labeling the rudiment with ³⁵S-sulfate or ¹⁴C-glucosamine, it was demonstrated that the cartilaginous ECM undergoes rapid turnover. It was also found that the metabolic fate of the proteoglycans is to be released as macromolecules into the culture medium. When a rudiment was cut to obtain two epiphyses it was observed that each part grows and synthesizes proteoglycans at nearly normal rates, which indicates that the isolated epiphyses, like the whole rudiment, behave as autonomous systems. We suggest that the turnover of ECM components is part of the continuous remodelling process rudiments undergo during their growth and development. In order to study cell-ECM interaction in morphogenesis, we made an attempt to prepare an intact cell-free ECM. Epiphyses were heated at 45.2° C for 1 h. The treatment caused complete cessation of growth and biosynthesis. When the cut surface of a live epiphysis was brought into apposition to a heat-treated epiphysis and the attached pair placed in organ culture, it was found that the heat-treated epiphysis begins to grow and reaches almost the same size as its live counterpart. We discuss the possible advantage of this new experimental system for studies on the role of ECM in morphogenesis.     

Cell localization of aldolase fetal isozymes in rat regenerating liver: Differences with hepatoma

Using the indirect immunoperoxidase technique with optical and electron microscopy, we have localized both fetal aldolases A and C from regenerating rat liver in Kupffer and endothelial cells (by contrast with the localization of aldolase B in hepatocytes only). These results have been confirmed by biochemical methods. The localization of the 3 aldolases differs widely from that observed in fast-growing hepatoma and suggests that control mechanisms of gene regulation are different in cancer and in liver regeneration.     

Intranasal vaccination with a lentiviral vector protects against SARS-CoV-2 in preclinical animal models

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Monitoring the acoustic activity of an aquatic insect population in relation to temperature,vegetation and noise

1. Acoustic population monitoring is a noninvasive method that can be deployed continuously over long periods of time and at large spatial scales. One of the newly discovered threats acting on biological diversity is anthropogenic noise. High levels of anthropogenic noise occur in aquatic environments, yet their effects on animals living in freshwater habitats have very rarely been investigated.
2. Here, we used acoustic monitoring and automatic detection to assess the acoustic activity of a population of a soniferous freshwater insect.
3. The sounds emitted by the corixid Micronecta scholtzi were recorded in a Mediterranean pond with an array of 12 hydrophones. An automatic analysis based on a measure of the amplitude found in the frequency band of M. scholtzi was developed to assess the level of acoustic activity. We used functional linear models, accounting for the periodicity of the calling behaviour, to estimate the possible effect of temperature, vegetation and a noise due to an immersed engine.
4. The automatic analysis was validated as an efficient method to measure the acoustic activity. The monitoring revealed a clear 24-hr pattern in the acoustic activity of M. scholtzi and three peaks of activity during the morning. Functional linear models revealed negative effects of both temperature and vegetation and showed that an engine noise, played back for 2 hr during the night, elicited an increase in the level of acoustic activity of the population. Moreover, a cross-correlation procedure showed that noise delayed the acoustic activity of the population.
5. Our results suggest that acoustic survey and automatic detection are efficient methods to monitor the acoustic activity of an insect population especially in response to an anthropogenic disturbance.

     

Invited contribution: An objective approach to the development of short-term tests predictive of carcinogenicity

The Carcinogenicity Prediction and Battery Selection procedure was developed to address two problems: (1) the identification of highly predictive, yet cost-effective, batteries of short-term tests and (2) the objective prediction of the potential carcinogenicity of chemicals based upon the results of short-term tests even when a mixture of positive and negative results is obtained. In the present report the usefulness of the Carcinogenicity Prediction and Battery Selection procedure is demonstrated using benzo[a]pyrene, benzoin and diethylstilbestrol as examples. In addition, its applicability in the analysis of all the possible outcomes of a battery is illustrated together with an analysis of the worth of additional testing.Abbreviations B[a]P benzo[a]pyrene - CASE Computer-Automated Structure Evaluation - CPBS Carcinogenicity Prediction and Battery Selection - DEHP diethylhexylphthalate - DES diethylstilbestrol - NTA nitrilotriacetate - TCDD 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin     

Resumption of growth of heat inactivated embryonic epiphyses by grafting

Summary This communication describes a new experimental model for the study of the role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in morphogenesis. In a preceding paper (Markson et al. 1991) we demonstrated that isolated epiphyses from femora of 6-day-old chick embryos grow during the first days in organ culture almost as well as their intact counterparts. Heating femora for 1 h at 45.2° C caused complete cessation of growth and proteoglycan biosynthesis. When the cut surface of a heat-inactivated (HI) epiphysis was brought into apposition with the cut surface of a live epiphysis and the attached pair placed in organ culture, the HI epiphysis began to grow and reached almost the same size as its live partner. The different possible interpretations of this finding are discussed. When a HI epiphysis of a certain shape (from humerus) is attached to a live epiphysis of a very different shape (from femur) and the attached pair is cultured for 6–7 days, the typical resumption of growth can be observed and the HI epiphysis that doubled or tripled its size retains its original characteristic form. The possibility that the existing infrastructure of the cartilaginous ECM directs the pattern of deposition of newly synthesized ECM by the chondroblasts is discussed, and it is suggested that stretch-activated channels participate in a process by which cells sense the topography of their ECM. Offprint requests to: F. Doljanski     

Paths to psychiatric care in Hong Kong

The pattern of psychiatric consultation in Hong Kong is examined among 226 patients at a public outpatient clinic and 56 patients at a private psychiatric clinic. The approach to psychiatric services is marked by lengthy delay during which patients get help from their family members or close friends. Arrival at the present psychiatric clinic was diverted through other medical resources, primarily Western-style medical services, and to some extent, traditional Chinese medicine. Individual routes were diverse, characterized by frequent switches among resources especially in the private sector. The nature of the patients' presenting complaints as well as the conceptualization of their initial complaints were multi-faceted, including both psychological and somatic factors. The overall consultation pattern of patients in Hong Kong is compared with other studies on Chinese and Western patients. Questions are raised for further analysis.The study was funded by the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia Faculty Research Grant made through Chung Chi College of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.     

Preferences in help-seeking among Chinese students

Chinese university students were asked to indicate their inclination to seek help and the resources for consultation on the 22 problems listed on the Langner Scale. Results showed that the Chinese students were generally not inclined to seek help and when they did, would most often seek help from medical doctors. However, when items were grouped in terms of clinical content, it was found that friends were predominantly preferred for psychological problems while the doctor was preferred for psychophysiological, physiological, and ambiguous problems. More female than male students tended to rely on friends and family members while the reverse pattern was found in the preference for doctors. The mental health professional was rarely cited as a resource for any of the problems. The results provide some explanation for observations made in previous studies on symptom presentation and help-seeking behavior among Chinese psychiatric patients.     

Morphometric variation in theAlonsoa meridionalis complex (Scrophulariaceae)

Morphological field studies of 27 populations of theA. meridionalis complex were conducted in Ecuador. It is possible to distinguish four different form series by the position of the stamens in relation to the style. This trait was congruent with the overall morphometric variation, shown by the results of a canonical discriminant analysis (CDA). The taxonomy of the species complex is discussed based upon the results of the CDA. The degree of outcrossing varied in different form series, from a comparatively high degree of selfing to predominantly outcrossing, as indicated by the variation within relative to among populations. This is probably due to the varying potentials for self-deposition owing to differences in the degree of herkogamy.