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Digital Image Correlation (DIC) techniques can be used to visually map and measure strain in materials such as metals and metallic alloys. The strain induced in an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTMs) standard specimen can be measured using a DIC technique. Image patterns indicating the localized strain variations as a function of time for the constant load applied were also obtained. Results obtained using the DIC technique were more accurate compared to conventional strain sensors. DIC results were also compared with nanomaterial-based strain sensor output. Localized strain induced in the material can be visualized and quantified analytically using DIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infertility refers to the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. Psychosocial aspects of infertility research are predominant in developed countries. A scoping review of psychosocial aspects of infertility research conducted in Africa between 2000 and 2022 was conducted. Twelve databases and grey literature were searched for articles. Studies were included if they were published in English and included findings from patients diagnosed with primary or secondary infertility. A total of 2 372 articles were initially found and screening resulted in 116 articles being included in the scoping review. Most of the studies (81%) were conducted in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. Psychosocial aspects explored included quality of life, barriers to treatment, attitudes and stigma, and sociocultural and religious aspects of infertility, among others. The review maps published psychosocial research in the context of infertility in Africa and identifies gaps for future research. Plain language summary: Our aim was to review published studies on psychological and social research conducted among men and women who were seeking treatment for infertility in Africa between 2000 and 2022. We initially found 2 373 articles that seemed appropriate but after screening these articles only included 116 in this review. We found that in Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa produced the most studies on the psychological and social impact of infertility. Common areas of research include exploring patients quality of life, barriers to seeking fertility treatment, stigma and attitudes around infertility, social, cultural and religious issues relating to infertility. This review is therefore helpful in understanding where psychological and social research on infertility is being conducted, what it is focused on and what the gaps in research are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Perhaps, as never before, we need innovators. With our growing population numbers, and with increasing pressures on our education systems, are we in danger of becoming more rigid and formulaic and increasingly inhibiting innovation? When young can we predict who will become the great innovators? For example, in medicine, who will change clinical practice? Aims We therefore determined to assess whether the current academic excellence approach to medical school entrance would have captured previous great innovators in medicine, assuming that they should all have well fulfilled current entrance requirements. Methods The authors assembled a list of 100 great medical innovators which was then approved, rejected or added to by a jury of 12 MD fellows of the Royal Society of Canada. Two reviewers, who had taken both the past and present Medical College Admission Test as part of North American medical school entrance requirements, independently assessed each innovator's early life educational history in order to predict the innovator's likely success at medical school entry, assuming excellence in all entrance requirements. Results Thirty-one percent of the great medical innovators possessed no medical degree and 24% would likely be denied entry to medical school by today's standards (e.g. had a history of poor performance, failure, dropout or expulsion) with only 24% being guaranteed entry. Even if excellence in only one topic was required, the figure would only rise to 41% certain of medical school entry. Conclusion These data show that today's medical school entry standards would have barred many great innovators and raise questions about whether we are losing medical innovators as a consequence. Our findings have important implications for promoting flexibility and innovation for medical education, and for promoting an environment for innovation in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Most data regarding the association between the glycemic index and cardiovascular disease come from high-income Western populations, with little information from non-Western countries with low or middle incomes. To fill this gap, data are needed from a large, geographically diverse population. METHODS This analysis includes 137,851 participants between the ages of 35 and 70 years living on five continents, with a median follow-up of 9.5 years. We used country- specific food-frequency questionnaires to determine dietary intake and estimated the glycemic index and glycemic load on the basis of the consumption of seven categories of carbohydrate foods. We calculated hazard ratios using multivariable Cox frailty models. The primary outcome was a composite of a major cardiovascular event (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure) or death from any cause. RESULTS In the study population, 8780 deaths and 8252 major cardiovascular events occurred during the follow-up period. After performing extensive adjustments comparing the lowest and highest glycemic-index quintiles, we found that a diet with a high glycemic index was associated with an increased risk of a major cardiovascular event or death, both among participants with preexisting cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio, 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25 to 1.82) and among those without such disease (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.34). Among the components of the primary outcome, a high glycemic index was also associated with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular causes. The results with respect to glycemic load were similar to the findings regarding the glycemic index among the participants with cardiovascular disease at baseline, but the association was not significant among those without preexisting cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS In this study, a diet with a high glycemic index was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. (Funded by the Population Health Research Institute and others.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objectives: Because current guidelines recognise high‐grade anal squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) and low‐grade SILs (LSILs), and recommend treatment of all HSILs although not all progress to cancer, this study aims to distinguish transforming and productive HSILs by grading immunohistochemical (IHC) biomarkers p16INK4a (p16) and E4 in low‐risk human papillomavirus (lrHPV) and high‐risk (hr)HPV‐associated SILs as a potential basis for more selective treatment. Methods: Immunostaining for p16 and HPV E4 was performed and graded in 183 biopsies from 108 HIV‐positive men who have sex with men. The causative HPV genotype of the worst lesion was identified using the HPV SPF10‐PCR‐DEIA‐LiPA25 version 1 system, with laser capture microdissection for multiple infections. The worst lesions were scored for p16 (0–4) to identify activity of the hrHPV E7 gene, and panHPV E4 (0–2) to mark HPV production and life cycle completion. Results: There were 37 normal biopsies, 60 LSILs and 86 HSILs, with 85% of LSILs caused by lrHPV and 93% of HSILs by hrHPV. No normal biopsy showed E4, but 43% of LSILs and 37% of HSILs were E4 positive. No differences in E4 positivity rates were found between lrHPV and hrHPV lesions. Most of the lesions caused by lrHPV (90%) showed very extensive patchy p16 staining; p16 grade in HSILs was variable, with frequency of productive HPV infection dropping with increasing p16 grade. Conclusions: Combined p16/E4 IHC identifies productive and nonproductive HSILs associated with hrHPV within the group of HSILs defined by the Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology recommendations. This opens the possibility of investigating selective treatment of advanced transforming HSILs caused by hrHPV, and a 'wait and see' policy for productive HSILs. What's already known about this topic? For preventing anal cancer in high‐risk populations, all patients with high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) are treated, even though this group of lesions is heterogeneous, the histology is variable and regression is frequent. What does this study add? By adding human papillomavirus (HPV) E4 immunohistochemistry to p16 INK4a (p16), and grading expression of both markers, different biomarker expression patterns that reflect the heterogeneity of HSILs can be identified.Moreover, p16/E4 staining can separate high‐risk HPV‐associated HSILs into productive and more advanced transforming lesions, providing a potential basis for selective treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation evaluated the effects of oral beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on training responses in resistance-trained male athletes who were randomly administered HMB in standard encapsulation (SH), HMB in time release capsule (TRH), or placebo (P) in a double-blind fashion. Subjects ingested 3 g x day(-1) of HMB or placebo for 6 weeks. Tests were conducted pre-supplementation and following 3 and 6 weeks of supplementation. The testing battery assessed body mass, body composition (using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry), and 3-repetition maximum isoinertial strength, plus biochemical parameters, including markers of muscle damage and muscle protein turnover. While the training and dietary intervention of the investigation resulted in significant strength gains (p < .001) and an increase in total lean mass (p = .01), HMB administration had no influence on these variables. Likewise, biochemical markers of muscle protein turnover and muscle damage were also unaffected by HMB supplementation. The data indicate that 6 weeks of HMB supplementation in either SH or TRH form does not influence changes in strength and body composition in response to resistance training in strength-trained athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closed-loop adaptive optics systems that use minimum mean square error wavefront reconstruction require the computation of pseudo open-loop wavefront slopes. These techniques incorporate a knowledge of atmospheric statistics that must therefore be represented within the wavefront slope measurements. These pseudo open-loop slopes are computed from the sum of the measured residual slopes and the reconstructed slopes that would be given if the deformable mirror was flat, generally involving the multiplication of an interaction matrix with actuator demands from the previous time-step. When using dense algebra, this multiplication is computationally expensive for Extremely Large Telescopes, requiring a large memory bandwidth. Here, we show that this requirement can be significantly reduced, maintaining mathematical correctness and significantly reducing system complexity. This therefore reduces the cost of these systems and increases robustness and reliability.N [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power of portable molecular diagnostic systems for detection of pathogenic microorganisms in food and environmental samples is largely limited by small assay volumes (typically 1 to 5 μL), making direct detection of trace contamination (i.e., <104 CFU mL-1) unreliable. To improve detection limits for pathogens dispersed on an ecological scale, we developed a portable point-of-care (POC) sample preparation system using electroflotation (EF) to recover small quantities of these organisms from samples of hundreds of milliliters. Electrolysis reactions, supported on platinum-coated titanium electrodes, generate hydrogen and oxygen microbubbles that impel and displace suspended cells into a recovered concentrate. Samples were prepared by inoculating 380 mL of sterilized phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 6.6) with stock culture of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 to final concentrations ranging from 102 to 104 CFU mL-1. Samples were subjected to 10, 15, and 20 min durations of EF treatment under high and low turbulence conditions. We used a loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) assay with primers targeting a single-copy gene (glycerate kinase) in generic E. coli to evaluate the effects of EF treatment on concentration and recovery of detectable cell material. LAMP failed to detect E. coli in all untreated (control) samples at concentrations below 104 CFU mL-1 but was able to detect E. coli in 102 CFU mL-1 samples subjected to various conditions of EF treatment. Two-way ANOVA showed significant differences in detection rates between EF treatment durations for both high (p = 0.0019) and low turbulence (p = 0.002). Dunnett's multiple comparison tests identified five process conditions resulting in significant (p < 0.05) differences in detection between treatments and the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are the dark shapes come to the river's edge to see the moon. A Zen chant, a soft lament: a tattered maple leaf. Moonlight music of the lost world sings the empty street to sleep. [Extracted from the article]

The recoil-β tagging technique was used to identify transitions associated with the decay of the 2+ and, tentatively, the 4+ excited states in 74Sr. Combining these results with published data for the A = 74 isobars, triplet energy differences (TEDs) have been extracted, the heaviest case for which these values have been evaluated. State-of-the-art shell-model calculations using the JUN45 interaction and incorporating a J = 0 isospin nonconserving (INC) interaction with an isotensor strength of 100 keV can reproduce the trend in the TED data, with particularly good agreement for the 2+ state. This agreement for the TED data taken together with the fact that agreement has also been shown between shell-model calculations with the same strength of INC interaction in the f7/2 shell and recently for A = 66 strongly suggests that such an interaction exists throughout the nuclear chart and cannot have a strong dependence on details of nuclear structure such as which nuclear orbitals are occupied. It also supports the hypothesis that only a J = 0 component of the INC interaction need be included to explain the observed TEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two-photon emission, while well known in atomic physics, is arare second-order process in nuclear physics with only three cases where a two-photon branch is measured. The limited knowledge stems from the experimental difficulty in resolving two-photon emission from dominant single-photon emission, restricting practical cases for study to 0+ ⊿ 0+ (E0) transitions, since single-photon emission is forbidden. In practical terms, this limits the range of easily accessible cases to even-even nuclei with the unusual property of a first excited state with spin/parity of 0+. Purpose: Two-photon branches are measured for the closed-shell nuclei, 160,40Ca, and 90Zr. The intention of the present work was to obtain data for a case which was not a closed-shell nucleus. Of the possible nuclei relevant to such a study, 98Mo was chosen as its first-excited state is 0+ and lies below 1 MeV, meaning that internal pair transitions are not allowed. Method: The first excited state ( J = 0+) in 98Mo was excited in resonant inelastic proton scattering using a 6.7-MeV proton beam. The population of the state was selected using an annular double-sided silicon strip detector (DSSD). The decay of the state by conversion electrons was observed using the same DSSD, while Gammasphere was used to detect possible two-photon events. Results: An upper limit on the two-photon branch obtained was 1 x 10-4 at the 95% confidence level (CL). Conclusions The upper limit obtained is smaller than any other previously obtained two-photon branch. Phase space considerations suggest that the actual value of the branching ratio in this case may be significantly smaller than the upper limit obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of training volume on resting and exercise-induced plasma markers of oxidative stress (MDA concentration) and antioxidant status (GPX, CAT & SOD erythrocyte activities). Moderately trained participants (TG) (n = 6; 4 males and 2 females; 25 ± 1.8 years) and sedentary control subjects (CG) participated in the 8-week investigation. The TG increased their training volume from ~4.9 to ~18 h.wk-1 by the end of the investigation. Before the increase in training volume and at 2-week intervals the TG completed a 30 km cycling time trial (TT30) where resting- and post-exercise blood was sampled and analysed for oxidative stress and antioxidant status. The CG had their resting blood sampled and analysed fortnightly. The data showed that TT30 performance improved in the first 4 weeks but remained unchanged in the last 4. Resting plasma MDA and CAT increased in response to training, with no change in the resting activities of erythrocyte GPX and SOD. Post-TT30 MDA and CAT increased over the training period and training hours positively related to both resting-and post-TT30 MDA. The increase in resting MDA and the up-regulation in CAT in response to an increased training volume may have a role in the identification of a training and performance plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candidates for three excited states in the 66Se have been identified using the recoil-ß tagging method together with a veto detector for charged-particle evaporation channels. These results allow a comparison of mirror and triplet energy differences between analog states across the A = 66 triplet as a function of angular momentum. The extracted triplet energy differences follow the negative trend observed in the f7/2 shell. Shell-model calculations indicate that the strength of the Coulomb isotensor part alone is not sufficient to account for this trend in the case of the A = 66 triplet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a comparison of mirror symmetry in the A = 23, T = 1/2 mirror nuclei 23Na and 23Mg both to high spin, and high excitation energy, including beyond the proton threshold. Excited states in the region above the proton threshold have been studied in both nuclei. It presents methods of obtaining reaction rates for nuclear astrophysics. It concludes that estimated data of shell model calculations can be used if real data is not available.

Recent antisymmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD) calculations for 28Si suggest the presence of a superdeformed (SD) band with a dominant 24Mg + α clustering for its configuration, with firm predictions for its location and associated moment of inertia. This motivates a review of the experimental results reported in the literature with a particular focus on 24Mg(α,γ) studies, as well as on a-like heavy-ion transfer reactions such as 12C(20Ne,α)28Si. Combining this information for the first time leads to a set of candidate SD states whose properties point to their α-cluster structure and strong associated deformation. Analysis of data from Gammasphere allows the electromagnetic decay of these candidate states to be probed and reveals further supporting evidence for such a structure. This paper appraises this body of information and finds the evidence for an SD band is strong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a research conducted in order to determine the effects of introducing an invertebrate iridescent virus 6 ((IIV6) into Phyllophaga vandinei (P. vandinei) adults. It discusses the patent and sub-lethal infections caused by IIV6 in P. vandinei. The study revealed the exploitation of identified mode of transmission as a potential management tool to reduce P. vandinei.

The decay branchings of a resonance in the 12C(12C,γ)24Mg reaction at Ec.m = 8.0 MeV have been studied with high resolution using the Gammasphere array. Radiative capture residues were discriminated from scattered beam and the dominant evaporation channels using the fragment mass analyzer coupled to a multistage Parallel Grid Avalanche Counter (PGAC)/ion chamber system. The clean selection of residues has allowed the population of excited states up to 10 MeV in 24Mg to be examined in detail. Strong feeding of an excited Kπ = 0- band is observed. A Jπ = 4+ assignment to the resonance is strongly favored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of active dry yeast (ADY) in the brewing industry is becoming increasingly attractive due to several key features, including its capacity to be stored conveniently and to be prepared rapidly for use. However, some studies have reported that undesirable effects may occur when employing lager strains in the ADY form, such as abnormal flocculation, haze formation and a less stable foam structure. These effects have been linked to reduced viability, caused by cell death during the drying and rehydration processes. It is known that the means by which yeast is rehydrated is important to maintain membrane integrity and to prevent potentially lethal damage from occurring. In order to determine the impact of rehydration conditions on yeast viability, three industrially manufactured ADY strains were examined. Each strain was rehydrated using a variety of parameters and monitored for cell viability using slide culture and a variety of brightfield and fluorescent stains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LaBr3(Ce) is a novel scintillator that holds a lot of potential in γ-ray spectroscopy due to its high energy resolution and timing properties, despite exhibiting self-activity due to the 138La isotope in the crystal (0.09% abundance). However, due to the high cost of these scintillators, a phoswich detector was acquired as a more cost effective approach to constructing the new Photon Array for the study of Radioactive Ion and Stable beams (PARIS), intended for the SPIRAL2 beam-line at GANIL. Tests on the timing and energy response of a 1"x 1"x 2" LaBr3(Ce) and 1"x 1"x 6" CsI(Na) phoswich detector is presented. Little is known about what happens to these crystals during neutron activation, and this was also investigated, where the study of the pulse shapes from neutron and gamma sources were used to show that (n,γ) discrimination was not possible. An activated spectrum from a 241Am/9Be source was acquired where neutron activation due to excited states of lanthanum and bromine (140La, 80Br and 82Br) were found. The timing of the phoswich was also investigated, and found to be ~ 650 ps when used in a start-stop set-up with BaF2. A marginal improvement of around 40 ps was achieved despite the set-up being poorly time matched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the piloting process that was behind Australian Magnesium Corporation Limited decision to build a 97 000 t per annum magnesium smelter near Rockhampton in Queensland, Australia in 2001. Before the engineering design for this smelter, Australian Magnesium Corporation Ltd had completed an extensive piloting program. This involved a batch minipilot plant in 1993 which was followed by a continuous minipilot plant which operated for eight months in 1994. Finally, a 1500 t per annum demonstration plant was built and operated at Gladstone in Queensland between 1998 and 2002. The minipilot plants assessed the stability of the chemicals used in the process, the solvent losses, the crystallisation yields and also tested the viability of operations previously only tested on a laboratory scale. The demonstration plant was designed to evaluate the complete integration of the process, assess the effectiveness of the selected industrial scale equipment and materials of construction while providing information for a bankable feasibility study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the temperate climate, cooling loads in UK non-domestic buildings (specifically offices) have a highly significant effect on the energy use of urban areas. Recent summer heatwaves (as seen in 2005) caused blackouts in areas of London, where the requirement for cooling resulted in an electrical demand that exceeded the capacity. With summer temperatures predicted to rise, this problem is likely to be exacerbated, and the need to mitigate for such a scenario is vital. Passive and low-energy cooling techniques can play an important role in reducing official electrical demands. However, the more fundamental problem relates to the internal heat gains being generated from, in particular, IT equipment and lighting. For a country such as the UK, cooling systems in offices (and other non-domestic buildings) only exist at all due to these gains. Through the use of energy management and technologies that might be available by 2030, internal equipment gains can be reduced such that the requirements on the office cooling system are completely different, and the likelihood of a passively cooled office (or low-carbon office) greatly increased. This study thus proposes an approach for reducing office cooling loads for a UK climate, using a defined exemplar London office building to demonstrate the effect of IT equipment and lighting on cooling for the existing buildings. In addition, the effect of fabric changes and thermal adaptation of occupants (for a warmer future climate) is estimated. Finally, taking a ‘make tight, ventilate right’ approach (i.e. reducing infiltration and using mechanical ventilation appropriately) is looked at with regards to cooling loads and, specifically, the effectiveness of night-time ventilation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Resonances in light heavy ion reactions are a much studied but little understood phenomenon. New measurements are reported of the 12C(12C,γ)24Mg radiative capture reaction with the aim of performing spectroscopic measurements on the previously identified resonances. The preliminary analysis is outlined relating to the identification of the 24Mg using a triple ion chamber setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A typical UK office is used as an exemplar for office energy use in the UK. The effect of replacing existing boilers and air-conditioning systems with air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) is investigated for a “current” version of the office, with typical equipment/lighting usage, fabric and internal gains, and also for a “2030” office, where fabric is improved, equipment/lighting made more efficient and, as a result, internal gains reduced. The ASHPs, as a potential carbon-saving technology, performs slightly differently for the two office scenarios. Furthermore, after removing the boiler, it is found to be important whether electric hot water or gas hot water point-of-use heaters are adopted with the ASHPs (assuming that the existing boiler would not be used if the ASHPs is satisfying all space heating requirements). This can be the difference between ASHPs reducing and increasing the carbon emissions of the office. Finally, the carbon intensity of the grid has a large effect on the success of ASHPs technology. This is quantified through a sensitivity analysis, indicating the external conditions for which ASHPs might reduce CO2 emissions for office buildings. The results suggest that an ASHPs has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions for certain conditions, but should not be seen as a guaranteed low-carbon technology for all scenarios. As well as assessing the ASHPs as a carbon-saving technology, potential economic benefits are also estimated based on running costs and predicted reduction in energy bills. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective To investigate the prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus in wild dogs (dingos and dingo–domestic dog hybrids) living in and around human habitation on Fraser Island and in townships of the Maroochy Shire, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, Australia. Design Wild dogs were humanely killed on Fraser Island and in the Maroochy Shire because they were deemed a potential danger to the public. Their intestines were collected and the contents examined for intestinal parasites. Procedure Intestines were removed as soon after death as possible, packed in plastic bags and kept frozen until examination. The intestinal contents were washed, sieved and examined microscopically for the presence of helminths, which were identified and counted. Results Intestines from 108 wild dogs, 7 foxes and 18 Fraser Island dingoes were examined. Echinococcus granulosus was only present in the wild dogs from Maroochy Shire (46.3%) with worm burdens of between 30 and 104,000. Other helminths included Spirometra erinacei, Dipylidium caninum, Taenia spp., Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara canis. Two specimens of a trematode ( Haplorchinae sp.) usually found infecting fish and seabirds were recovered from a Fraser Island dingo. Conclusion Dingoes on Fraser Island are not infected with E. granulosus and do not pose a hydatid disease public health risk to residents or visitors. However, wild dogs examined from the Maroochy Shire do present a potential hydatid disease public health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The micro-scale wind turbine industry is expanding in the UK with institutional support and UK legislation encouraging the development of numerous companies with a profusion of design options. The application of micro wind turbines in urban environment is encouraged in the UK via a grant scheme which provides a proportion of the initial capital costs. This development is predicated on the assumption that micro wind turbines have the potential to reduce built environment CO2 emissions. Current methods of estimating the wind speed are reported to over predict by approximately 2.0m/s. The energy yields of a range of typical micro wind turbines (in the 0.4–2.5kW size range) were estimated here using two wind speed datasets sited within 1km of each other recorded with a temporal precision of 10min. The annual energy yield of a 1.5kW turbine was found to be 277kWh and 2541kWh for the two sites analysed indicating the problem with the current method of yield estimation. Between 33 and 55% of the electricity generated would be exported dependant on the dwelling''s electrical demand. For the high yield site, the simple economic payback of this turbine was found to be 26.8 years i.e. beyond the likely life time of the turbine with CO2 savings of 1093kg CO2. The research suggests that this technology does represent a possible route for reducing CO2 emissions but this is unlikely to be realised unless an adequate method is found for more accurately predicting energy yield at a specific site. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objective of this paper is to illustrate the interconnections between the different phases (or tools) within the cognitive work analysis framework; the benefits of extending an analysis across each of the five phases are highlighted through these interconnections. The paper uses a command and control micro-world example to describe how each of the five phases can be used to describe the constraints within the micro-world domain from a different perspective. Based upon the social organisation and cooperation analysis, design requirements are extracted in order to develop role specific customisable interfaces for use within the micro-world. The interfaces have been specifically developed to communicate real time reconfiguration of the network through each of the individual interfaces; the reallocations of functions or roles are communicated to the actors through changes to the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To determine the effect on blood pressure of dietary advice to consume a combination of plant-based cholesterol-lowering foods (dietary portfolio).Methods:For 1 year, 66 hyperlipidemic subjects were prescribed diets high in plant sterols (1.0 g/1000 kcal), soy protein (22.5 g/1000 kcal), viscous fibers (10 g/1000 kcal) and almonds (22.5 g/1000 kcal). There was no control group. Seven-day diet record, blood pressure and body weight were monitored initially monthly and later at 2-monthly intervals throughout the study.Results:Fifty subjects completed the 1-year study. When the last observation was carried forward for non-completers (n=9) or those who changed their blood pressure medications (n=7), a small mean reduction was seen in body weight 0.7±0.3 kg (P=0.036). The corresponding reductions from baseline in systolic and diastolic blood pressure at 1 year (n=66 subjects) were −4.2±1.3 mm Hg (P=0.002) and −2.3±0.7 mm Hg (P=0.001), respectively. Blood pressure reductions occurred within the first 2 weeks, with stable blood pressures 6 weeks before and 4 weeks after starting the diet. Diastolic blood pressure reduction was significantly related to weight change (r=0.30, n=50, P=0.036). Only compliance with almond intake advice related to blood pressure reduction (systolic: r=−0.34, n=50, P=0.017; diastolic: r=−0.29, n=50, P=0.041).Conclusions:A dietary portfolio of plant-based cholesterol-lowering foods reduced blood pressure significantly, related to almond intake. The dietary portfolio approach of combining a range of cholesterol-lowering plant foods may benefit cardiovascular disease risk both by reducing serum lipids and also blood pressure.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008) 62, 781–788; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602768; published online 25 April 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is a large consensus concerning the expected trend, if not the magnitude of change, of the UK climate in the coming decades [Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, April 2007]. This study aims to quantify how such changes will have a direct effect on heating and cooling energy use in future office environments (i.e. by the year 2030). When considering future offices, it is also necessary to account for a change in the small power and lighting equipment being used, in this case by assuming an improved efficiency in both categories. This will also have a significant effect on the balance of heating and cooling an office. Furthermore, the subtle effect of a change in location within the UK can affect results further, with northern cities having substantially higher heating loads (and lower cooling loads) than southern locations. Such factors can influence approaches towards reducing future office energy demands and, in some cases, be the difference between a heating-dominated or cooling-dominated building. This study should also inform future choices for supplying energy to office buildings, in particular microgeneration options. It confirms the importance of dealing with demand-side changes before assessing the supply-side opportunities, with buildings having very different heating and cooling needs post-refurbishment. The study also highlights the importance, and possibilities, of adapting to future climates, and the benefits of promoting heating-dominated buildings instead of cooling-dominated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The aim of this interim analysis of a large, international phase III study was to assess the efficacy of an AS04 adjuvanted L1 virus-like-particle prophylactic candidate vaccine against infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 in young women.Methods: 18,644 women aged 15-25 years were randomly assigned to receive either HPV16/18 vaccine (n=9319) or hepatitis A vaccine (n=9325) at 0, 1, and 6 months. Of these women, 88 were excluded because of high-grade cytology and 31 for missing cytology results. Thus, 9258 women received the HPV16/18 vaccine and 9267 received the control vaccine in the total vaccinated cohort for efficacy, which included women who had prevalent oncogenic HPV infections, often with several HPV types, as well as low-grade cytological abnormalities at study entry and who received at least one vaccine dose. We assessed cervical cytology and subsequent biopsy for 14 oncogenic HPV types by PCR. The primary endpoint--vaccine efficacy against cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2+ associated with HPV16 or HPV18--was assessed in women who were seronegative and DNA negative for the corresponding vaccine type at baseline (month 0) and allowed inclusion of lesions with several oncogenic HPV types. This interim event-defined analysis was triggered when at least 23 cases of CIN2+ with HPV16 or HPV18 DNA in the lesion were detected in the total vaccinated cohort for efficacy. Analyses were done on a modified intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with the US National Institutes of Health clinical trial registry, number NCT00122681.Findings: Mean length of follow-up for women in the primary analysis for efficacy at the time of the interim analysis was 14.8 (SD 4.9) months. Two cases of CIN2+ associated with HPV16 or HPV18 DNA were seen in the HPV16/18 vaccine group; 21 were recorded in the control group. Of the 23 cases, 14 (two in the HPV16/18 vaccine group, 12 in the control group) contained several oncogenic HPV types. Vaccine efficacy against CIN2+ containing HPV16/18 DNA was 90.4% (97.9% CI 53.4-99.3; p<0.0001). No clinically meaningful differences were noted in safety outcomes between the study groups.Interpretation: The adjuvanted HPV16/18 vaccine showed prophylactic efficacy against CIN2+ associated with HPV16 or HPV18 and thus could be used for cervical cancer prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:A dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering ingredients has proved effective in reducing serum cholesterol. However, it is not known whether this dietary combination will also affect hematologic risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). Reductions in hematocrit and polymorphonuclear leukocytes have been reported to improve cardiovascular risk. We, therefore, report changes in hematological indices, which have been linked to cardiovascular health, in a 1-year assessment of subjects taking an effective dietary combination (portfolio) of cholesterol-lowering foods.Methods:For 12 months, 66 hyperlipidemic subjects were prescribed diets high in plant sterols (1.0 g/1000 kcal), soy protein (22.5 g/1000 kcal), viscous fibers (10 g/1000kcal) and almonds (23 g/1000kcal). Fifty-five subjects completed the study.Results:Over the 1 year, data on completers indicated small but significant reductions in hemoglobin (−1.5±0.6 g/l, P=0.013), hematocrit (−0.007±0.002 l/l, P<0.001), red cell number (−0.07±0.02 109/l, P<0.001) and neutrophils (−0.34±0.13 109/l, P=0.014). Mean platelet volume was also increased (0.16±0.07 fl, P=0.033). The increase in red cell osmotic fragility (0.05±0.03 g/l, P=0.107) did not reach significance.Conclusions:These small changes in hematological indices after a cholesterol-lowering diet are in the direction, which would be predicted to reduce CHD risk. Further research is needed to clarify whether the changes observed will contribute directly or indirectly to cardiovascular benefits beyond those expected from reductions previously seen in serum lipids and blood pressure.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) 61, 483–492. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602551; published online 29 November 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uroplakins (UPs) are a family of proteins which associate with each other and form plaques on the apical surface of the urothelium. These plaques contribute to a permeability barrier, preventing the influx of urine from the urinary tract lumen. Urinary tract malformations associated with human and mouse UP mutations, the human fetal expression patterns of UPs and experiments in Xenopus oocytes are collectively revealing new functions for the UPs, forcing us to view these proteins in a new light. Rather than simply being products of the urothelial differentiation program, they may be a group of proteins central to the process of urinary tract differentiation itself.Kidney International (2007) 71, 195–200. doi:10.1038/sj.ki.5002053; published online 20 December 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this experiment was to investigate the influence of low dose bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in cyclists over a 10 week period that included 5 days of high intensity training (HIT). Methods: Over 7 days of preliminary testing, 29 highly trained male road cyclists completed a VO2max test (in which their ventilatory threshold was estimated), a time to fatigue test at 110% of ventilatory threshold, and a 40 km time trial (1140). Cyclists were then assigned to either a supplement (n = 14, 10 g/day bovine colostrum protein concentrate (CPC)) or a placebo group (n = 15, 10 g/day whey protein) and resumed their normal training. Following 5 weeks of supplementation, the cyclists returned to the laboratory to complete a second series of performance testing (week 7). They then underwent five consecutive days of HIT (week 8) followed by a further series of performance tests (week 9). Results: The influence of bovine CPC on 114Q performance during normal training was unclear (week 7: 1 ±3.1%, week 9: 0.1 ±2.1%; mean±90% confidence limits). However, at the end of the HIT period, bovine CPC supplementation, compared to the placebo, elicited a 1.9±2.2% improvement from baseline in 1140 performance and a 2.3±6.0% increase in time trial intensity (% VO2max), and maintained 1140 heart rate (2.5±3.7%). In addition, bovine CPC supplementation prevented a decrease in ventilatory threshold following the HIT period (4.6±4.6%). Conclusion: Low dose bovine CPC supplementation elicited improvements in 1140 performance during an HIT period and maintained ventilatory threshold following five consecutive days of HIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines narratives of gay men and lesbians who participated in conversion therapies and/or ex-gay ministries in order to change their sexual orientation to that of heterosexual. Data for this study were gathered through an analysis of the stories of 14 people, published in a document titled Finally Free, who describe their negative experiences with conversion therapy through ex-gay ministries. Analysis of the data revealed seven common psychosocial issues faced by gay men and lesbians who turned to conversion therapy in an attempt to become heterosexual. These issues provide knowledge for social workers' intervention with gay men and lesbians seeking healing and personal growth after participating in conversion therapy and ex-gay ministries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventionally, reaction rates relevant to nova nucleosynthesis are determined by performing the relevant proton capture reactions directly for stable species, or as has become possible more recently in inverse kinematics using short-lived accelerated radioactive beams with recoil separators. A secondary approach is to compile information on the properties of levels in the Gamow window using transfer reactions. We present a complementary technique where the states of interest are populated in a heavy-ion fusion reaction and their gamma decay studied with a state-of-the-art array of high-purity germanium detectors. The advantages of this approach, including the ability to determine resonance energies with high precision and the possibility of determining spins and parities from gamma-ray angular distributions are discussed. Two specific examples related to the 22Na(p,γ) and 30P(p,γ) reactions are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) markedly reduce serum cholesterol and have anti-inflammatory effects. The effect of cholesterol-lowering diets on inflammatory biomarkers is less well known. Objective: To compare the efficacy of a dietary combination (portfolio) of cholesterol-lowering foods vs a statin in reducing C-reactive protein (CRP) as a biomarker of inflammation linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk. Methods: In all, 34 hyperlipidemic subjects completed three 1-month treatments as outpatients in random order: a very low-saturated fat diet (control); the same diet with 20 mg lovastatin (statin); and a diet high in plant sterols (1.0 g/1000 kcal), soy protein (21.4 g/1000 kcal), viscous fibers (9.8 g/1000 kcal), and almonds (14 g/1000 kcal) (portfolio). Fasting blood samples were obtained at weeks 0, 2, and 4. Results: Using the complete data, no treatment reduced serum CRP. However, when subjects with CRP levels above the 75th percentile for previously reported studies (> 3.5 mg/l) were excluded, CRP was reduced similarly on both statin, -16.3 ± 6.7% (n-23, P=0.013) and dietary portfolio, -23.8 ± 6.9% (n = 25, P = 0.001) but not the control, 15.3 ± 13.6% (n = 28, P = 0.907). The percentage CRP change from baseline on the portfolio treatment (n = 25) was greater than the control (n = 28, P = 0.004) but similar to statin treatment (n = 23, P = 0.349). Both statin and portfolio treatments were similar in reducing CRP and numerically more effective than control but only the change in portfolio was significant after the Bonferroni adjustment. Conclusions: A combination of cholesterol-lowering foods reduced C-reactive protein to a similar extent as the starting dose of a first-generation statin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic and aerobic (AnA) and completely aerobic (CA) sequencing-batch reactors (SBRs) were used to investigate the suitability of the AnA process for treating phosphorus (P)-deficient wastewaters with highly variable influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading. Both SBRs were subjected to influent COD loading patterns (LPs) that simulated (1) daily COD loading fluctuations, (2) weekend shutdowns, and (3) long weekend or holiday shutdowns. During LP 1, the AnA SBR produced lower average effluent soluble phosphorus concentrations than CA SBR (0.4 vs. 1.0 mgP/L). A similar result was observed during LP 2, but effluent acetate was detected after the first high COD loading cycle of the weekday loading period. During LP 3, the volatile suspended solids content of both reactors dropped sharply, and the effluent quality of both SBRs deteriorated. Model predictions suggest that the AnA process is stable when treating LP 1, but eventually fails when treating LP 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background : Post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome is associated with increased serotonin-containing enterochromaffin cells and lymphocytes in rectal biopsies. Animal studies have suggested that steroids reduce the lymphocyte response and suppress some of the post-infectious changes in neuromuscular function. Aim : To evaluate whether steroids reduce the number of enterochromaffin cells and improve the symptoms of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome. Methods : Twenty-nine patients with post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome underwent a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 3 weeks of oral prednisolone, 30 mg/day. Mucosal enterochromaffin cells, T lymphocytes and mast cells were assessed in rectal biopsies before and after treatment, and bowel symptoms were recorded in a daily diary. Results: Initial enterochromaffin cell counts were increased and correlated with initial lamina propria T-lymphocyte counts (r = 0.460, P = 0.014). Enterochromaffin cell counts did not change significantly after either prednisolone (- 0.8% ± 9.2%) or placebo (7.9% ± 7.9%) (P = 0.5). Although lamina propria T-lymphocyte counts decreased significantly after prednisolone (22.0% ± 5.6%, P = 0.003), but not after placebo (11.5% ± 8.6%, P = 0.1), this was not associated with any significant treatment-related improvement in abdominal pain, diarrhoea, frequency or urgency. Conclusions : Prednisolone does not appear to reduce the number of enterochromaffin cells or cause an improvement in symptoms in post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome. Other approaches to this persistent condition are indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the effect of high-protein diets, which have recently been promoted for their health benefits, on urinary calcium losses and bone turnover in older subjects. Design: Randomized controlled cross-over study. Setting: Teaching hospital and university. Subjects: Twenty hyperlipidemic men and postmenopausal women (age 56 ± 2 y) completed the study. Intervention: One-month test and control phases during which subjects consumed equi-energy metabolic diets high in calcium (1578 and 1593 mg/day, respectively). On the test diet 11% of total dietary energy from starch in the control bread was replaced by protein (wheat gluten), resulting in 27% of energy from protein on the test diet vs 16% on the control diet. Main outcome measure: Urinary calcium excretion. Results: Compared with the control diet, at week 4, the test diet increased mean (± s.e.m.) 24 h urinary output of calcium (139 ± 15 vs 227 ± 21 mg, P = 0.004). The treatment difference in urinary calcium loss correlated with the serum anion gap as a marker of metabolic acid production (r=0.57, P=0.011). Serum calcium levels were marginally lower 2.41 ± 0.02 vs 2.38 ± 0.02 mmol/l (P=0.075), but there was no significant treatment difference in calcium balance, possibly related to the high background calcium intake on both diets. Conclusion: In the presence of high dietary calcium intakes the vegetable protein gluten does not appear to have a negative effect on calcium balance despite increased urinary calcium loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent U.S. EPA regulations (40 CFR Section 503) specify maximum concentrations of pathogens and metals for Class A wastewater treatment plant sludges. The most common sludge process is mesophilic (35°C) digestion which stabilizes the solids, produces a combustible gas but does not create an effluent that meets the 503 Class A pathogen requirements. This investigation was conducted to determine whether anaerobic digestion processes incorporating a thermophilic stage could achieve 503 Class A pathogen levels. The research reported here was a bench-scale screening study meant to identify the most promising process alternatives for further investigation. Fecal Coliform (FC) concentrations were used to assess disinfection efficiency. Digesters were 30 L capacity fed semi-continuously in draw-fill mode. Digester startup was rapid to produce true thermophiles. Temperature staging and pH were assessed in 3 sets of experiments: Set 1 were one stage ("acid phase"), Set 2 were one stage ("acid + methane phases") and Set 3 were two stage ("acid phase" then "methanogenic phase"). Feed was a 1:1 mixture of Thickened Waste Activated Sludge and Primary Sludge. The following anaerobic digestion configurations and operating parameters allowed the production of digested sludge with a mean FC concentration statistically less than 103 (the regulatory value for Class A sludge): thermophilic single stage acid phase at 52 and 62°C; thermophilic single stage acid + methane phase at 48°C, 52°C and 62°C; two-stage mesophilic acid phase followed by mesophilic methane phase; two stage mesophilic acid phase followed by thermophilic methane phase at 48°C, 52°C and 62°C. If the maximum digested FC concentration must be below 103 MPN/g TS then the following digester configurations and operating conditions will be compliant: two stage mesophilic acid phase followed by thermophilic methane phase at 52°C and 62°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that examined post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in the context of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Complications after solid organ transplant and bone marrow transplantation; Mortality rate of patients with PTLD; Functions of ASCT.

Within the skeletal muscle cell at the onset of muscular contraction, phosphocreatine (PCr) represents the most immediate reserve for the rephosphorylation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). As a result, its concentration can be reduced to less than 30% of resting levels during intense exercise. As a fall in the level of PCr appears to adversely affect muscle contraction, and therefore power output in a subsequent bout, maximising the rate of PCr resynthesis during a brief recovery period will be of benefit to an athlete involved in activities which demand intermittent exercise. Although this resynthesis process simply involves the rephosphorylation of creatine by aerobically produced ATP (with the release of protons), it has both a fast and slow component, each proceeding at a rate that is controlled by different components of the creatine kinase equilibrium. The initial fast phase appears to proceed at a rate independent of muscle pH. Instead, its rate appears to be controlled by adenosine diphosphate (ADP) levels; either directly through its free cytosolic concentration, or indirectly, through its effect on the free energy of ATP hydrolysis. Once this fast phase of recovery is complete, there is a secondary slower phase that appears almost certainly rate-dependant on the return of the muscle cell to homeostatic intracellular pH. Given the importance of oxidative phosphorylation in this resynthesis process, those individuals with an elevated aerobic power should be able to resynthesise PCr at a more rapid rate than their sedentary counterparts. However, results from studies that have used phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance (P-NMR) spectroscopy, have been somewhat inconsistent with respect to the relationship between aerobic power and PCr recovery following intense exercise. Because of the methodological constraints that appear to have limited a number of these studies, further research in this area is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors exhibiting enhanced biological phosphorus removal for pH effects on anaerobic phosphorus release, glycogen degradation and acetate uptake. Competitive advantage of a polyphosphate-accumulating metabolism over a glycogen- accumulating metabolism; Decrease in glycogen degradation/acetate uptake with increasing pH above pH 7.

Investigates the community structure and metabolic function of activated sludge carrying out enhanced biological phosphorus removal. Role of fragments of genes coding for polyphosphate kinase (PPK) in polyphosphate accumulation; Abundance of PPK gene copies in genomic DNA extracted from sludges.