Characteristics and behaviours associated with difficulty in performing activities of daily living among older New Zealand women

Purpose: The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of self-reported difficulty in perfoming activities of daily living (ADLs) and the associated characteristics and behaviours among older women in Auckland, New Zealand. Methods: A sample of 569 community dwelling women aged 65 years and older were studied. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association of participant characteristics and behaviours with reported difficulty in performing 1 of five basic ADLs. Results: An age adjusted prevalence of 4.6% was found for reported ADL difficulty. Age 85 years (odds ratio [OR] 5.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-30.2), history of stroke (OR 9.8; 95% CI 4.1-23.3), history of 1 fall in the past year (OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.6-7.4), low body mass index (OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.2-6.4), and low grip strength (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.2-5.5) were significantly and independently associated with ADL difficulty. Among women with ADL difficulty, the prevalence of adaptive equipment use was high (>90%). Conclusions: Several characteristics, medical conditions, and behaviours, some of which may be preventable, are associated with physical disability in older New Zealand women. Studies like this are an important step toward the development of interventions to reduce or delay disability and improve health and quality of life.     

Decline of the calcium response on successive stimulation of a rat brain endothelial cell P2U purinoceptor

A microfluorimetric method using Fura-2 as calcium indicator was used to study the mechanism of desensitization of the calcium response evoked by activation of a brain endothelial cell P_2U receptor. The study was mainly carried out on an immortalized rat brain endothelial cell line (RBE4), with some additional experiments on primary cultured rat brain microvascular endothelial cells. As previously described ( 17 ), ATP (100 μM , 20 s) caused a transient increase in intracellular calcium levels ([Ca²⁺]_i). This effect was dependent on the rate of filling of intracellular calcium stores, since a large inhibition of the ATP-mediated response was seen in the presence of cyclopiazonic acid, an inhibitor of the store Ca²⁺-ATPase. Application of repeated pulses of extracellular ATP led to a desensitization of the response, as measured by a decline in the release of intracellular calcium ( 17 ). This desensitization was partially reversed after 300 s of incubation in agonist-free medium. Extracellular phosphorylation of the purinergic receptor appeared not to be involved in the desensitization process, since a similar rate of desensitization was obtained with the non-hydrolysable ATP analogue ATP gammaS. Oxidation of the purinergic receptor cannot account for the desensitization, since the decline of the ATP-mediated response was unchanged in the presence of 3 m M dithiothreitol. In the presence of ATP together with UTP, two equally potent activators of the P_2U receptor, the desensitization was less than in the presence of only one of the agonists. The desensitization was greater when ATP was applied for longer (150 s) periods. Although these results do not exclude the participation of post-receptor events in the desensitization process, they suggest that desensitization is governed at least in part by agonist–receptor interaction.     

Sj23, the target antigen in Schistosoma japonicum adult worms of an immunodiagnostic hybridoma antibody

Summary An IgG_2a mouse hybridoma-derived antibody (designated I.134) has been identified which binds to Schistosoma japonicum adult worms and which has immunodiagnostic potential (for detection of antibody) in schistosomiasis japonica in the Philippines. The target epitope of this hybridoma antibody is contained in a 23 000 molecular weight protein of adult worms as analysed by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitates and a gel overlay technique. This adult worm antigen has been labelled biosynthetically using³⁵ S-methionine as well as exogenously using lactoperoxidase-catalysed radioiodination and the Bolton and Hunter reagent with intact worms. As anticipated, the low molecular weight protein antigen (designated Sj23) appears to be one of several major immunogenic proteins of worms which induce antibodies in infected Philippine patients.     

Analysis of CAG trinucleotide repeats from mouse cDNA sequences

A number of human single gene disorders are now known to result from abnormal expansion of trinucleotide repeats. Spinal muscular bulbar atrophy, myotonic dystrophy, Huntington's Disease, spinocerebellar ataxia and dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy are all caused by expansions of CAG repeats. Abnormal expansion of trinucleotide repeats has only so far been described in humans, and no mouse models exist for these diseases. In order to investigate trinucleotide repeat stability in mice, the Genbank and EMBL nucleotide databases were screened to find genes containing CAG repeats. Of the sequences selected, 32 were from mouse, and in 12 of these the repeat was in transcribed sequence and contained at least seven perfect repeats. These repeats were then analysed by PCR to evaluate the degree of variability of repeat length in the various genes. Two of the genes containing variable length CAG repeats, seven in absentia homologue 1b (Sinh1b), and choline acetyl transferase (Chat), which had not previously been mapped in the mouse genome, were mapped by linkage analysis in an interspecific backcross. Sinh1b maps very distally on the X chromosome, and Chat maps to chromosome 14.     

Use of technology by people with physical disabilities in Australia

Purpose: This study aimed to quantify the extent to which computers and assistive devices were being used by people with physical disabilities and the levels of computer training being undertaken by this group. Method: With the help of Queensland disability associations a written survey was distributed to people over 15 years in age with physical disabilities living in the greater Brisbane metropolitan area. Responses were received from 82 people (comprising spinal cord injuries (n= 71), cerebral palsy (n=8), muscular dystrophy (n= 3)). Results: Indicate that 60% of respondents were computer users, while only 15 respondents used assistive devices. Computer ability was correlated to age and time of disability onset. Respondents with quadriplegia had higher levels of computer ability than those with paraplegia. The study indicates that while many people with disabilities have used computers and assistive devices, many have not. Conclusions: The low rate of assistive device use by people with high-level quadriplegia is of concern. This study suggests that increased levels of training in the use of computers and assistive devices needs to be provided to people with physical disabilities.