'Must try harder?': a family empowerment intervention for acquired brain injury.

This paper describes an intervention aimed at empowering parents of child survivors of acquired brain injury (ABI) in their interaction with teachers and other professionals involved in their child's education. The particular characteristics of the late morbidity of child ABI led to the design of an intervention in the form of a video and informational booklet that is the property of the family. Early response to the intervention has been extremely positive, although formal evaluation has been unexpectedly challenging.

Swimming and ammonia toxicity in salmonids: the effect of sub lethal ammonia exposure on the swimming performance of coho salmon and the acute toxicity of ammonia in swimming and resting rainbow trout.

This study tested the hypothesis that swimming exacerbates ammonia toxicity in fish. Both sub-lethal and acute toxicity testing was conducted in a swim tunnel on swimming and resting coho salmon and rainbow trout, respectively. The sub lethal tests on coho salmon also considered the compartmentalization of ammonia within the fish. Coho salmon showed a significant linear decrease in U(crit) both with increasing water ammonia (0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.08 mg per l NH3) and increasing plasma ammonia. Data collected included plasma pH and ammonia, muscle pH and ammonia and muscle membrane potential. Based on results found in these experiments it was concluded that the reduction in swimming performance was due to both metabolic challenges as well as depolarization of white muscle. Acute toxicity testing on swimming and resting rainbow trout revealed that swimming at (60% U(crit) or approximately 2.2 body lengths/s) decreased the LC50 level from 207+/-21.99 mg N per l in resting fish to 32.38+/-10.81. The LC50 for resting fish was significantly higher than that for swimming fish. The acute value set forth by the US EPA at the same pH is 36.1 mg N per l and may not protect swimming fish. In addition the effect of water hardness on ammonia toxicity was considered. It was found that increased water calcium ameliorates ammonia toxicity in fish living in high pH water.

The effect of feeding and fasting on ammonia toxicity in juvenile rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss.

Present fresh water ammonia standards have been established using data collected from toxicity tests on unfed fish. Ammonia, however, is an unusual toxicant as it is produced as a metabolic waste following protein catabolism. The present research was conducted to investigate the relationship between feeding and ammonia toxicity in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Results from these studies revealed that some fish fed to satiation have plasma ammonia levels greater than 30 microg/ml. This level was similar to the plasma ammonia levels in rainbow trout at the ammonia LC50 value calculated in the present experiments. Even though plasma ammonia in fed fish was elevated there was no significant difference between the 96 h LC50 values for fed and unfed fish (174 mg N per l) at pH 7.2. Feeding rates during these experiments decreased during the first 48 h of ammonia exposure, but increased again in the second 48 h at all but the highest ammonia level. Feeding rate never increased to the control level in ammonia exposed fish. In a second set of experiments feeding fish had a significantly higher 24 h LC50 level, 177 mg N per l, than fish fasted for 5 or 10 days, 135-143 mg N per l. No significant difference was noted however, between the 48 h LC50 values for fed and fasted fish. It was evident from these studies that feeding protects rainbow trout from ammonia toxicity during the first 24 h of exposure and that fasting exacerbates ammonia toxicity.

The effect of sub-lethal ammonia exposure on fed and unfed rainbow trout: the role of glutamine in regulation of ammonia.

Many species of fishes have evolved mechanisms for coping with ammonia caused by either high ammonia environments or an inability to excrete nitrogenous wastes. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), have not been known to have such a mechanism. The present study investigated whether rainbow trout can use amino acid synthesis and storage to cope with ammonia. Experiments were performed on fed and unfed rainbow trout under both control and elevated ammonia conditions (0 and 10 mgN/l (total ammonia nitrogen), pH 7.2). The results indicate that both feeding and ammonia exposure increased plasma ammonia significantly 6 h postprandial and post ammonia exposure. After 48 h the fed/ammonia exposed fish had plasma ammonia levels that were not significantly different than the fed/control fish. Plasma ammonia was reduced by more than 50%, attributable to ammonia being converted to glutamine in brain, liver and muscle tissue. Feeding alone also increased glutamine levels in brain tissue. Activity of glutamine synthetase in brain and liver was increased corresponding to an increase in glutamine concentrations when fish were exposed to ammonia. This is the first report showing that rainbow trout can detoxify endogenous and exogenous ammonia.

A sandwich hybridization assay employing enzyme amplification for termination of specific ribosomal RNA from unpurified cell lysates.

We have employed the power of the cyclic NAD-based enzyme amplification system to the determination of 16S rRNA. This generally applicable system employs two oligonucleotide probes, one of which is captured on a microtiter well surface and the other labeled with alkaline phosphatase. The detection of very low levels of hybridization of the capture probe is then achieved by the means of the ultrasensitive enzyme-amplified assay system, resulting in a highly sensitive, convenient, and rapid technology which can be directly employed on unpurified samples. We have been able to demonstrate the detection of 20 amol (10(7) molecules) of pure rRNA, and specific signals from as few as 2000 bacterial cells have also been demonstrated. The total procedural time can be short-5 to 18 h-depending on the dynamic range and sensitivity required. RNA target in the range of 10(12)-10(8) molecules can be assayed within 5 h. Extending the substrate incubation time enables between 10(11) and 10(7) molecules to be determined within 18 h. The system has great potential use with respect to studying the distribution and physiological states of cellular organisms.

Tips of the trade #21. Simplified starting technique for femoral intramedullary rodding.

A simplified method for determining the position of and creating the proximal starting hole for a femoral intramedullary rod is presented. The method, which uses the combination reamer from the DHS hip screw set and other equipment found in most operating rooms, increases the certainty of correct placement of the proximal starting hole. The difficulties and risks inherent in the use of the starting awl are eliminated.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect retronecine and monocrotaline in vitro.

Antibodies to the nonesterified pyrrolizidine nucleus, retronecine (155 mol.wt), were produced in rabbits and detected using an avidin-biotin antibody ELISA. A competitive ELISA for the detection of retronecine and the cyclic diester monocrotaline was also developed using the antiserum produced against the hapten conjugate, retronecine-bovine serum albumin. Retronecine was obtained by hydrolysis of monocrotaline, succinylated and directly coupled to bovine serum albumin or ovalbumin. Antibodies to the pyrrolizidine nucleus, retronecine, can be detected within 5 min after the addition of substrate using the avidin-biotin ELISA. Competitive inhibition of antibodies to retronecine is obtained by the addition of known amounts (0-11.42 micrograms/microliters) of either the homologous antigen, retronecine, or the heterologous antigen, monocrotaline, however, retronecine acts as the better competitor.

Use of COSREEL clinical codes in large animal veterinary practice.

COSREEL, a computerised animal health recording system with a versatile coding system for recording diagnoses, symptoms and medical and surgical treatments, has been tested by veterinary surgeons in practice. The codes were found to be logical and generally easy to use. The application of these codes, with particular reference to their use in infertility investigations, is illustrated.

Use of COSREEL, a computerised recording system, for herd health management of two dairy herds.

COSREEL, a computerised animal health recording system, has been used since October 1980 by two agricultural colleges for the management of their dairy herds. Each college and the veterinary practice which served the college has had its own typewriter terminal connected to a remote computer. Management and milk data have been coded and entered at the college and clinical data at the veterinary practice. An average of just over one management and veterinary event per week has been coded for every three cows in milk. Error rates were on average 11 per cent by one pair of users and 4 per cent by the other pair. COSREEL has provided a valuable aid to the management of the health of the two herds, and the regular use of pregnancy diagnosis, infertility investigation and oestrus detection action lists resulted in a considerable improvement in herd fertility at the two colleges.