1,628 research outputs found
Climate resilience in the United Kingdom wine production sector: CREWS-UK
As cool climate viticulture rapidly expands, the England and Wales wine sector is winning international acclaim, particularly for its sparkling wines, and is attracting significant investment. Supported by warming climate trends during the growing season, wine producers are establishing new vineyards planted predominantly with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Grape-friendly weather conditions in 2018 led to a record harvest and may be a sign of good things to come. Long term (100-years) Growing Season Average Temperatures (GSTs) in south-east and south-central England have noticeably increased with 6 of the top 10 warmest growing seasons (AprilâOctober), over the last 100 years, occurring since 2005. However, weather and growing season conditions fluctuate markedly from year to year, meaning that yields and grape quality continue to vary significantly. Weather extremes are anticipated to become more frequent under future climate change, further threatening the stability of production. Current uncertainty over future climatic conditions during the growing season and their potential effects on viticulture in the UK exposes both existing producers and potential investors to unquantified risks and opportunities. The CREWS-UK climate resilience research project is generating actionable information on how climate change may affect the wine production sector, to support better decision-making and investment
Transplant Accommodation:Are the Lessons Learned from Xenotransplantation Pertinent for Clinical Allotransplantation?
A suitability model for viticulture in England and Wales: opportunities for investment, sector growth and increased climate resilience
Despite continued investment and evidence of high quality wine production, English and Welsh wine grape yields remain low. To increase sector resilience to weather and climate risks we present the first combined terrestrial and climatic English and Welsh Viticulture Suitability (EWVS) model. Results show many existing vineyards (â„ 1 ha) are sub-optimally located. Limiting the model to the top 20% of suitable land in England and Wales resulted in 33,700 ha of prime viticulture land being identified, a scale just larger than the Champagne region of France. Beyond Kent and Sussex, large areas in Essex, with the warmest 30-year (1981â2010) Growing Season Average Temperature (13.9°C) on mainland Britain, and Suffolk, where few vineyards presently exist, appear especially suitable for viticulture. The EWVS model developed through this work allows, for the first time, a rapid assessment of land at local, regional and national scales to inform investment and policy related decisions
Five minutes with Danny Dorling: âThe current increase in global inequality is completely unsustainableâ
Rising inequality is one of the most controversial issues in European politics. In an interview with EUROPPâs editor Stuart Brown, Danny Dorling discusses the problems posed by inequality, the situation within the UK, and why the current trends are likely to prove unsustainable
Oropharyngeal colostrum in preventing mortality and morbidity in preterm infants
BackgroundPlacing a small volume of colostrum directly onto the buccal mucosa of preterm infants during the early neonatal period may provide immunological and growth factors that stimulate the immune system and enhance intestinal growth. These benefits could potentially reduce the risk of infection and necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and improve survival and longâterm outcome. ObjectivesTo determine if early (within the first 48 hours of life) oropharyngeal administration of motherâs own fresh or frozen/thawed colostrum can reduce rates of NEC, lateâonset invasive infection, and/or mortality in preterm infants compared with controls. To assess trials for evidence of safety and harm (e.g. aspiration pneumonia). To compare effects of early oropharyngeal colostrum (OPC) versus no OPC, placebo, late OPC, and nasogastric colostrum. Search methodsWe used the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group to search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2017, Issue 8), MEDLINE via PubMed (1966 to August 2017), Embase (1980 to August 2017), and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL; 1982 to August 2017). We also searched clinical trials registries for ongoing and recently completed trials (clinicaltrials.gov; the World Health Organization International Trials Registry (www.whoint/ictrp/search/en/), and the ISRCTN Registry), conference proceedings, and the reference lists of retrieved articles for randomised controlled trials and quasiârandomised trials. We performed the last search in August 2017. We contacted trial investigators regarding unpublished studies and data. Selection criteriaWe searched for published and unpublished randomised controlled trials comparing early administration of oropharyngeal colostrum (OPC) versus sham administration of water, oral formula, or donor breast milk, or versus no intervention. We also searched for studies comparing early OPC versus early nasogastric or nasojejunal administration of colostrum. We considered only trials that included preterm infants at < 37 weeks' gestation. We did not limit the review to any particular region or language. Data collection and analysisTwo review authors independently screened retrieved articles for inclusion and independently conducted data extraction, data analysis, and assessments of 'Risk of bias' and quality of evidence. We graded evidence quality using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. We contacted study authors for additional information or clarification when necessary. Main resultsWe included six studies that compared early oropharyngeal colostrum versus water, saline, placebo, or donor, or versus no intervention, enrolling 335 preterm infants with gestational ages ranging from 25 to 32 weeks' gestation and birth weights of 410 to 2500 grams. Researchers found no significant differences between OPC and control for primary outcomes â incidence of NEC (typical risk ratio (RR) 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50 to 4.02; six studies, 335 infants; P = 0.51; IÂČ = 0%; very lowâquality evidence), incidence of lateâonset infection (typical RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.33; six studies, 335 infants; P = 0.50; IÂČ = 0%; very lowâquality evidence), and death before hospital discharge (typical RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.34 to 1.71; six studies, 335 infants; P = 0.51; IÂČ = 0%; very lowâquality evidence). Similarly, metaâanalysis showed no difference in length of hospital stay between OPC and control groups (mean difference (MD) 0.81, 95% CI â5.87 to 7.5; four studies, 293 infants; P = 0.65; IÂČ = 49%). Days to full enteral feeds were reduced in the OPC group with MD of â2.58 days (95% CI â4.01 to â1.14; six studies, 335 infants; P = 0.0004; IÂČ = 28%; very lowâquality evidence). The effect of OPC was uncertain because of small sample sizes and imprecision in study results (very lowâquality evidence). No adverse effects were associated with OPC; however, data on adverse effects were insufficient, and no numerical data were available from the included studies. Overall the quality of included studies was low to very low across all outcomes. We downgraded GRADE outcomes because of concerns about allocation concealment and blinding, reporting bias, small sample sizes with few events, and wide confidence intervals. Authors' conclusionsLarge, wellâdesigned trials would be required to evaluate more precisely and reliably the effects of oropharyngeal colostrum on important outcomes for preterm infants
A geometric proof of the Kochen-Specker no-go theorem
We give a short geometric proof of the Kochen-Specker no-go theorem for
non-contextual hidden variables models. Note added to this version: I
understand from Jan-Aake Larsson that the construction we give here actually
contains the original Kochen-Specker construction as well as many others (Bell,
Conway and Kochen, Schuette, perhaps also Peres).Comment: This paper appeared some years ago, before the author was aware of
quant-ph. It is relevant to recent developments concerning Kochen-Specker
theorem
Inhibition of thrombin on endothelium enhances recruitment of regulatory T cells during IRI and when combined with adoptive Treg transfer, significantly protects against acute tissue injury and prolongs allograft survival
Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) amplifies T cell alloimmune responses after transplantation with thrombin playing a key pro-inflammatory role. To explore the influence of thrombin on regulatory T cell recruitment and efficacy we used a well-established model of IRI in the native murine kidney. Administration of the cytotopic thrombin inhibitor PTL060 inhibited IRI, and by skewing expression of chemokines (reducing CCL2 and CCL3 but increasing CCL17 and CCL22) increased the infiltration of M2 macrophages and Tregs. When PTL060 was combined with infusion of additional Tregs, these effects were further amplified. To test the benefits of thrombin inhibition in a transplant model, BALB/c hearts were transplanted into B6 mice with or without perfusion with PTL060 in combination with Tregs. Thrombin inhibition or Treg infusion alone led to small increments in allograft survival. However, the combined therapy led to modest graft prolongation by the same mechanisms as in renal IRI; graft survival was accompanied by increased numbers of Tregs and anti inflammatory macrophages, and reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
While the grafts succumbed to rejection associated with the emergence of alloantibody, these data suggest that thrombin inhibition within the transplant vasculature enhances the efficacy of Treg infusion, a therapy that is currently entering the clinic to promote transplant tolerance
A change in temperature modulates defence to yellow (stripe) rust in wheat line UC1041 independently of resistance gene Yr36
Background Rust diseases are of major importance in wheat production worldwide. With the constant evolution of new rust strains and their adaptation to higher temperatures, consistent and durable disease resistance is a key challenge. Environmental conditions affect resistance gene performance, but the basis for this is poorly understood. Results Here we show that a change in day temperature affects wheat resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp tritici (Pst), the causal agent of yellow (or stripe) rust. Using adult plants of near-isogenic lines UC1041 +/- Yr36, there was no significant difference between Pst percentage uredia coverage in plants grown at day temperatures of 18°C or 25°C in adult UC1041â+âYr36 plants. However, when plants were transferred to the lower day temperature at the time of Pst inoculation, infection increased up to two fold. Interestingly, this response was independent of Yr36, which has previously been reported as a temperature-responsive resistance gene as Pst development in adult UC1041 -Yr36 plants was similarly affected by the plants experiencing a temperature reduction. In addition, UC1041 -Yr36 plants grown at the lower temperature then transferred to the higher temperature were effectively resistant and a temperature change in either direction was shown to affect Pst development up to 8 days prior to inoculation. Results for seedlings were similar, but more variable compared to adult plants. Enhanced resistance to Pst was observed in seedlings of UC1041 and the cultivar Shamrock when transferred to the higher temperature. Resistance was not affected in seedlings of cultivar Solstice by a temperature change in either direction. Conclusions Yr36 is effective at 18°C, refining the lower range of temperature at which resistance against Pst is conferred compared to previous studies. Results reveal previously uncharacterised defence temperature sensitivity in the UC1041 background which is caused by a change in temperature and independently of Yr36. This novel phenotype is present in some cultivars but absent in others, suggesting that Pst defence may be more stable in some cultivars than others when plants are exposed to varying temperatures
Artificial Neural Network to predict mean monthly total ozone in Arosa, Switzerland
Present study deals with the mean monthly total ozone time series over Arosa,
Switzerland. The study period is 1932-1971. First of all, the total ozone time
series has been identified as a complex system and then Artificial Neural
Networks models in the form of Multilayer Perceptron with back propagation
learning have been developed. The models are Single-hidden-layer and
Two-hidden-layer Perceptrons with sigmoid activation function. After sequential
learning with learning rate 0.9 the peak total ozone period (February-May)
concentrations of mean monthly total ozone have been predicted by the two
neural net models. After training and validation, both of the models are found
skillful. But, Two-hidden-layer Perceptron is found to be more adroit in
predicting the mean monthly total ozone concentrations over the aforesaid
period.Comment: 22 pages, 14 figure
No Influence of the Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene rs9939609 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism on Blood Lipids in Young Males
The fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) rs9939609 A-allele is linked to obesity and dyslipidemia, yet the independent influence of this polymorphism on blood lipids remains equivocal. We examined the influence of the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism on fasting and postprandial blood lipids in individuals homozygous for the risk A-allele or T-allele with similar anthropometric and demographic characteristics. 12 AA and 12 TT males consumed a standardized meal after fasting overnight. Blood samples were collected at baseline (â1.5 h), before the meal (0 h), and for five hours postprandially to measure lipid, glucose, and insulin concentrations. Time-averaged total area under the curve (TAUC) values (0â5 h) were calculated and compared between genotypes. Fasting triacylglycerol (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucose, and insulin concentrations were similar between groups (p â„ 0.293). TAUC for TG was similar in AAs and TTs (95% confidence interval (CI) â0.52 to 0.31 mmol/L/h; p = 0.606). Likewise, TAUC values were similar for NEFA (95% CI â0.04 to 0.03 mmol/L/h; p = 0.734), glucose (95% CI â0.41 to 0.44 mmol/L/h; p = 0.951), and insulin (95% CI â6.87 to 2.83 pmol/L/h; p = 0.395). Blood lipids are not influenced by the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism, suggesting the FTO-dyslipidemia link is mediated by adiposity and weight management is important in preventing FTO-related lipid variations
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