Life Sciences Commons^™

Fibre: Male Participants Not Getting Enough, Rebecca L. Thorne, Jane E. O'Shea, Qingsheng Zhang, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Karen E. Charlton

Dr Marijka Batterham

A regular intake of dietary fibre has been associated with a number of health benefits. Consuming a high fibre diet may significantly lower the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity (Anderson et al, 2009). Foods high in fibre such as fruit, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains are regularly included in diets targeting weight loss as they are low in fat, sugar and salt and contain a number of vitamins and minerals. Participants in trials using healthy background diets may increase their fibre intake in addition to the study variables. The aim of this study was to report …

Long-Stay Patients In State Psychiatric Hospitals At The End Of The 20th Century, William Fisher, Paul Barreira, Jeffrey Geller, Andrew White, Alisa Lincoln, Marylou Sudders

Alisa Lincoln

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the characteristics of long-stay patients in contemporary state psychiatric hospitals and to identify factors representing possible barriers to alternative placements for these patients. METHODS: All patients in inpatient units of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health who had been hospitalized for at least three years as of April 1, 1999, were assessed by their treatment teams with a standardized data collection instrument. Domains assessed included medical problems, need for nursing care, psychiatric diagnosis, and history of problematic behaviors. RESULTS: The 330 individuals identified as long-stay patients had an array of medical …

The Responsiveness Of State Mental Health Authorities To Parents With Mental Illness, Kathleen Biebel, Joanne Nicholson, Valerie Williams, Beth Hinden

Joanne Nicholson

The majority of adults with serious mental illness living in the community are parents, many of whom may be receiving services from State Mental Health Authorities (SMHA). Innovative intervention approaches are available to improve outcomes for these parents and their children. Analyses of SMHA and state-level data, as well as qualitative interviews of administrators, service providers, and consumers, underscore the importance of organizational structure and philosophy, an advocacy presence, and available funding to SMHA efforts on behalf of parents and their families.

Failure Of Alpha-Galactosylceramide To Prevent Diabetes In Virus-Inducible Models Of Type 1 Diabetes In The Rat, Prerna Chopra, Philip Diiorio, Steven Pino, S. Brian Wilson, Nancy Phillips, John Mordes, Aldo Rossini, Dale Greiner, Leonard Shultz, Rita Bortell

Philip J diIorio Jr

BACKGROUND: Alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) is an invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell ligand that prevents type 1 diabetes in NOD mice. However, alpha-GalCer can activate or suppress immune responses, raising concern about its potential use in human diabetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate this therapeutic issue further, BBDR and LEW.1WR1 rats were treated with Kilham rat virus (KRV) plus polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, with or without alpha-GalCer, and followed for onset of diabetes.

RESULTS: alpha-GalCer did not prevent diabetes in inducible rat models. To investigate this discrepancy, we analyzed iNKT cell function. Splenocytes stimulated with alpha-GalCer produced similar levels of IFNgamma in all …