Decortication of tropical oilseeds and edible nuts (NRI Bulletin No. 42)

This publication describes NRI experience in the recovery of seven different 'seed kernels' of tropical origin: balanites nuts, cashew nuts, coconuts, cottonseeds, groundnuts, macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds. lt includes the decortication and related operations for specific nuts and oilseeds for human food, as well as the by-products which may have other uses. The structure of the seeds and their implication for decortication are discussed and general descriptions of the typical decortication techniques are included. The effect of crop and processing variables on the efficiency of the operation and the recovery of products is also covered. This publication does not cover decortication processes that are applied to husk, bark or fibre crops resulting in some form of fibre product (e.g. sisal and hemp) without any direct connection to the seeds of a plant

Healthcare Game Design: Behavioral Modeling of Serious Gaming Design for Children with Chronic Diseases

This article introduces the design principles of serious games for chronic patients based on behavioral models. First, key features of the targeted chronic condition (Diabetes) are explained. Then, the role of psychological behavioral models in the management of chronic conditions is covered. After a short review of the existing health focused games, two recent health games that are developed based on behavioral models are overviewed in more detail. Furthermore, design principles and usability issues regarding the creation of these health games are discussed. Finally, the authors conclude that designing healthcare games based on behavioral models can increase the usability of the game in order to improve the effectiveness of the game’s desired healthcare outcomes

Combination therapy with tranilast and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition provides additional renoprotection in the remnant kidney model

Despite current therapy with agents that block the renin–angiotensin system, renal dysfunction continues to progress in a significant proportion of patients with kidney disease. Several pre-clinical studies have reported beneficial effects of tranilast, an inhibitor of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β's actions in a range of diseases that are characterized by fibrosis. However, whether such therapy provides additional benefits in renal disease, when added to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition, has not been explored. We randomized subtotally (5/6) nephrectomized rats to receive vehicle, the ACE inhibitor, perindopril (6 mg/l), tranilast (400 mg/kg/day), or their combination for 12 weeks. When compared with sham-nephrectomized animals, subtotally nephrectomized animals had reduced creatinine clearance, proteinuria, glomerulosclerosis, interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, and evidence of TGF-β activity, as indicated by the abundant nuclear staining of phosphorylated Smad2. These manifestations of injury and TGF-β activation were all attenuated by treatment with either tranilast or perindopril, with the latter also attenuating the animals’ hypertension. When compared with single-agent treatment, the combination of tranilast and perindopril provided additional, incremental improvements in creatinine clearance, proteinuria, and glomerulosclerosis, and a reduction in nuclear phsopho-Smad2 beyond single-agent treatment. These findings indicate that the combination of tranilast and perindopril was superior to single-agent treatment on kidney structure and function in the remnant kidney model, and suggests the potential for such dual therapy in kidney disease that continues to progress despite blockade of the renin–angiotensin system

Dietary selenized yeast increases the selenium content whereas organic iron (sqm) has no effect on the iron content of pork

The human health benefits of dietary selenium (Se) and iron (Fe) are well established (Rayman, 1997; Kristensen et al., 2005). Meat and meat products are primary sources of dietary Se and iron for humans. Pork from Se and Fe-supplemented pigs may provide an additional source of these nutrients. However, the effects of supplementation of Se and iron on their status in muscles and effects on pork quality are not clearly defined. This study examined the effects of dietary Se and Fe supplementation on the Se and Fe status and meat quality of pork

Childhood IQ and cardiovascular disease in adulthood: prospective observational study linking the Scottish Mental Survey 1932 and the Midspan studies

This study investigated the influence of childhood IQ on the relationships between risk factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke in adulthood. Participants were from the Midspan prospective cohort studies which were conducted on adults in Scotland in the 1970s. Data on risk factors were collected from a questionnaire and at a screening examination, and participants were followed up for 25 years for hospital admissions and mortality. 938 Midspan participants were successfully matched with their age 11 IQ from the Scottish Mental Survey 1932, in which 1921-born children attending schools in Scotland took a cognitive ability test. Childhood IQ was negatively correlated with diastolic and systolic blood pressure, and positively correlated with height and respiratory function in adulthood. For each of CVD, CHD and stroke, defined as either a hospital admission or death, there was an increased relative rate per standard deviation decrease (15 points) in childhood IQ of 1.11 (95% confidence interval 1.01-1.23), 1.16 (1.03-1.32) and 1.10 (0.88-1.36) respectively. With events divided into those first occurring before and those first occurring after the age of 65, the relationships between childhood IQ and CVD, CHD and stroke were only seen before age 65 and not after age 65. Blood pressure, height, respiratory function and smoking were associated with CVD events. Relationships were stronger in the early compared to the later period for smoking and FEV1, and stronger in the later compared to the earlier period for blood pressure. Adjustment for childhood IQ had small attenuating effects on the risk factor-CVD relationship before age 65 and no effects after age 65. Adjustment for risk factors attenuated the childhood IQ-CVD relationship by a small amount before age 65. Childhood IQ was associated with CVD risk factors and events and can be considered an important new risk factor

Synthesis of boronic ester γ‐lactam building blocks

Saturated heterocycles are found widely in biologically active compounds such as medicinal drugs and agrochemicals. However, boronic acid‐derived building blocks for these structures have limited availability, particularly in comparison to heteroaromatic boronic acids. We report the preparation of boronic ester γ‐lactams through a Cu‐catalysed conjugate borylation‐cyclisation protocol. Using a chiral catalyst, this can be performed in high enantioselectivity. Exploration of the further transformations of these reagents suggest that the boronic esters have much potential as chemical building blocks

Pairing symmetry and long range pair potential in a weak coupling theory of superconductivity

We study the superconducting phase with two component order parameter scenario, such as, $d_{x^2-y^2} + e^{i\theta}s_{\alpha}$, where $\alpha = xy, x^2+y^2$. We show, that in absence of orthorhombocity, the usual $d_{x^2-y^2}$ does not mix with usual $s_{x^2+y^2}$ symmetry gap in an anisotropic band structure. But the $s_{xy}$ symmetry does mix with the usual d-wave for $\theta =0$. The d-wave symmetry with higher harmonics present in it also mixes with higher order extended $s$ wave symmetry. The required pair potential to obtain higher anisotropic $d_{x^2-y^2}$ and extended s-wave symmetries, is derived by considering longer ranged two-body attractive potential in the spirit of tight binding lattice. We demonstrate that the dominant pairing symmetry changes drastically from $d$ to $s$ like as the attractive pair potential is obtained from longer ranged interaction. More specifically, a typical length scale of interaction $\xi$, which could be even/odd multiples of lattice spacing leads to predominant $s/d$ wave symmetry. The role of long range interaction on pairing symmetry has further been emphasized by studying the typical interplay in the temperature dependencies of these higher order $d$ and $s$ wave pairing symmetries.Comment: Revtex 8 pages, 7 figures embeded in the text, To appear in PR

The politics of innovation: why innovations need a godfather

Innovation is closely linked to the development of technology. Hence it is often assumed that when an innovation fails it is the technology that is at fault. While this may be true in many instances, there are occasions when it is not the technology that is at fault, rather, it is managerial and organisational aspects that cause problems and lead to failure. Studies have shown that individuals who take on specific roles can play an important part in avoiding these problems. These roles include the technological gatekeeper, the product champion and the sponsor/coach. In addition to these roles, this paper argues that there is another, namely that of godfather. With this role a highly respected, senior figure within an organisation provides support that is critical in ensuring the project overcomes the hurdles that lie in the path of any major new development. The nature of the godfather role is explored through three case studies. These provide examples of the role and show how it can facilitate the innovation process

Healthcare-associated outbreak of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: role of a cryptic variant of an epidemic clone

BACKGROUND New strains of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) may be associated with changes in rates of disease or clinical presentation. Conventional typing techniques may not detect new clonal variants that underlie changes in epidemiology or clinical phenotype. AIM To investigate the role of clonal variants of MRSA in an outbreak of MRSA bacteraemia at a hospital in England. METHODS Bacteraemia isolates of the major UK lineages (EMRSA-15 and -16) from before and after the outbreak were analysed by whole-genome sequencing in the context of epidemiological and clinical data. For comparison, EMRSA-15 and -16 isolates from another hospital in England were sequenced. A clonal variant of EMRSA-16 was identified at the outbreak hospital and a molecular signature test designed to distinguish variant isolates among further EMRSA-16 strains. FINDINGS By whole-genome sequencing, EMRSA-16 isolates during the outbreak showed strikingly low genetic diversity (P < 1 × 10(-6), Monte Carlo test), compared with EMRSA-15 and EMRSA-16 isolates from before the outbreak or the comparator hospital, demonstrating the emergence of a clonal variant. The variant was indistinguishable from the ancestral strain by conventional typing. This clonal variant accounted for 64/72 (89%) of EMRSA-16 bacteraemia isolates at the outbreak hospital from 2006. CONCLUSIONS Evolutionary changes in epidemic MRSA strains not detected by conventional typing may be associated with changes in disease epidemiology. Rapid and affordable technologies for whole-genome sequencing are becoming available with the potential to identify and track the emergence of variants of highly clonal organisms

Fragmented Population Structure of Plasmodium falciparum in a Region of Declining Endemicity

Background. The population genetic structure of Plasmodium falciparum differs between endemic regions, but the characteristics of a population recently fragmented by effective malaria control have been unknown. Methods. Genotypic analysis of 10 microsatellite loci widely separated in the parasite genome was conducted on 288 P. falciparum isolates from 8 foci in Malaysian Borneo, a region in which malaria incidence has been progressively reduced. Results. Within all P. falciparum foci, moderate levels of allelic diversity were found, but levels of multilocus linkage disequilibrium were extremely variable. The population with the highest proportion of mixed-clone infections also had the highest allelic diversity and nonsignificant linkage disequilibrium. In contrast, several populations showed evidence of clonal expansion, and one offshore island population had exceptionally high levels of linkage disequilibrium. Genetic differentiation between many populations was very high and strongly associated with the geographical distance between them. Conclusions. High levels of differentiation and contrasting population structure among P. falciparum populations in Malaysian Borneo indicate that they are genetically independent. This supports the feasibility of individually eradicating the remaining P. falciparum foci