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An efficient solid phase synthesis of oscillamide Y and three analogues is reported. A combination of Fmoc and allyl chemistries and an acid labile Wang type linker was used to prepare the cyclic peptide. HATU was used to couple to the N-methyl amino acid, and allyl deprotection was achieved using Pd(PPhsub3)sub4 and dimedone. The components showed no inhibitory activity.

Time series of realignment expectations for the pound and dollar were traced to determine the pressures that prompted the UK and the US to devalue their currencies against gold in 1931 and 1933, respectively. Results showed that fundamental economic variables and macroeconomic events were responsible for the UK and US to leave the gold standard during the inter-war period. It was also found that the Federal Reserve's monetary policy was constrained by international considerations as evidenced by the US monetary policy and international interactions.

Foreign exchange forecasters have heterogeneous expectations. Using a disaggregated survey database, results reveal that forecasters have different interpretation of common information resulting in differences of opinion. However, these disagreements become economically meaningful differences in forecast accuracy because they constitute major variables in the determination of market trading volume.

The predictions of foreign exchange rates made by different forecasters compiled from a disaggregate database were compared to determine their individual accuracy. The various forecasts were also combined to check whether the predictive value could be improved and if biases could be removed. Some forecasters were found to be more accurate than others, while a large percentage could not make accurate predictions at all.

The mass media play an important role in portraying criminal behaviour. Indeed the knowledge and understanding of the public about crime and criminals is largely based on what they have [...]

Background and aims. Improving care for people in crisis remains high on the UK government agenda. Trauma-informed approaches (TIAs) have been advocated to address concerns raised about psychiatric hospital services by service-users, particularly around the use of coercion in risk management. This study explores service-users' experiences of risk management in both hospital services and a trauma-informed crisis house. Methods. Eight women were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis within a critical realist framework. Results and discussion. Four themes were developed. In the first two ('The Medical-Custodial Approach: They Only Think About Physical Safety' and 'Coercion is Counterproductive') participants described hospital as being dominated by a medical-custodial approach, which they said was ineffective in managing long term safety and could exacerbate distress. In the next two themes ('Talking Heals' and 'Relationships as Risk Management') the crisis house was described as using a relational approach to risk management that enabled women to maintain some freedom, privacy and control and was felt to be more effective long term. This research was carried out with a small sample and both recruitment and context likely privileged positive accounts of TIAs. Clinical implications and areas for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlamydia pecorum is an obligate intracellular pathogen with a wide host range including livestock such as sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs as well as wildlife species such as koalas. Chlamydial polyarthritis is an economically important disease resulting in swollen joints, lameness, stiffness, and weight loss in young sheep. In the present study, tissues from sheep experimentally or naturally infected with Chlamydia pecorum were assessed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Carpal, hock, and stifle joints as well as spleen, liver, kidney, lymph nodes, lung, and brain of 35 sheep from different inoculation groups were available. Two different C. pecorum strains (IPA and E58), different routes of administration (intraarticular or intravenous), UVA-irradiated IPA strain, and corresponding noninfected control groups were investigated. Similar investigations on tissues from 5 naturally infected sheep were performed. The most obvious inflammatory lesions were observed in synovial tissues and, notably, in the renal pelvis from the experimentally infected group and naturally infected animals. This resulted in chronic or chronic-active arthritis and pyelitis. Intralesional chlamydial inclusions could be demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in both tissues. Immunohistochemical evaluation of the presence and distribution of macrophages, T and B cells in synovial tissues revealed macrophages as the most prevalent inflammatory cell population. Previous observations indicated that C. pecorum isolates can infect circulating monocytes. Together with the finding of the histological lesions in synovial tissues and internal organs alongside the presence of C. pecorum DNA, these observations suggest chlamydial arthritis in lambs is the result of hematogeneous spread of C. pecorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]