The lepidopteran mitochondrial control region: structure and evolution

For several species of lepidoptera, most of the approximately 350-bp mitochondrial control-region sequences were determined. Six of these species are in one genus, Jalmenus; are closely related; and are believed to have undergone recent rapid speciation. Recent speciation was supported by the observation of low interspecific sequence divergence. Thus, no useful phylogeny could be constructed for the genus. Despite a surprising conservation of control-region length, there was little conservation of primary sequences either among the three lepidopteran genera or between lepidoptera and Drosophila. Analysis of secondary structure indicated only one possible feature in common--inferred stem loops with higher-than-random folding energies--although the positions of the structures in different species were unrelated to regions of primary sequence similarity. We suggest that the conserved, short length of control regions is related to the observed lack of heteroplasmy in lepidopteran mitochondrial genomes. In addition, determination of flanking sequences for one Jalmenus species indicated (i) only weak support for the available model of insect 12S rRNA structure and (ii) that tRNA translocation is a frequent event in the evolution of insect mitochondrial genomes.

ORT and vomiting. Reply to Tambawal letter

Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) can be considered as both curative and preventive with regard to dehydration due to diarrhea. When given to a dehydrated patient, usually in the form of oral rehydration salts, its purpose is to correct (cure) the dehydration by restoring normal amounts of water and salts to the body. However, when given soon after the onset of diarrhea, before dehydration develops, usually as a homemade solution, its purpose is to prevent the reoccurrence of dehydration. Vomiting happens frequently during diarrhea, especially when the illness is caused by rotavirus or cholera. Vomiting can occur, or continue, during the 1st hour or 2 of ORT, after which it will usually diminish or stop. When vomiting occurs during ORT, fluid administration should be continued after waiting 10 minutes but given more slowly in sips at short intervals. Although it may appear that a large amount of rehydration fluid has been vomited, most of what is given is actually retained, benefiting the patient. Antiemetics, such as chlorpromazine should not be given because (i) they have undesirable side effects, such as drowsiness, which can interfere with the continuation of ORT, and (ii) the vomiting will usually subside as ORT is continued.

Law enforcement and crisis intervention services: a critical relationship

Law-enforcement officers tend to look at traditional mental health services as being of little help to them in dealing with persons they encounter experiencing emotional emergencies. They are frequently skeptical that emergency mental health programs offer more than they deliver. Because of their traditional base as the primary, and frequently only, available emergency "field" service in a community, a mental health emergency program must have a cooperative working relationship with law enforcement to serve a community successfully. This paper describes the development and maintenance of such a relationship, designed to increase the police case-finding potential.