A Temporal GIS Approach to Characterizing Geographical Dynamics

Temporal GIS research has historically focused on change, motion, and events. This research introduces a framework to represent concepts of fluid kinematics with the emphasis on the concept of flows. General circulation models (GCMs) and other spatially explicit environmental models produce massive time series of geographic fields (e.g. temperature) that call for effective GIS approaches to elicit temporal information embedded in these model outputs. Common temporal GIS approaches with discrete constructs in space and time tend to overlook the spatiotemporal continuity that is fundamental to the understanding of geographic dynamic fields, such as temperature. Common methods of analyzing climatological characteristics center on trend analysis at fixed locations or monitoring meteorological phenomena, such as storm tracks, to evaluate circulation changes. The proposed temporal GIS framework, on the other hand, uses the velocity of virtual particles with fixed climatological values to capture changes in scalar continuous fields. The resulting spatiotemporal distributions of velocity suggest kinematic flows that can be used to recognize features indicative of geographic processes, such as divergence and convergence of isolines. Summative characterizations of these kinematic features highlight the embedded change and motion in these temporal sets of scalar fields and facilitate understanding and comparing model outputs

Montmorency tart cherry supplementation and exercise positively affect bone microarchitecture and biomechanics in the growing skeleton

Objectives: This study investigated the efficacy of Montmorency tart cherry (TC) alone and in combination with exercise on improving bone quality in young growing animals and the underlying mechanisms of action.Methods: Six-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n=12 mice/group) in a 2x2 factorial design: control AIN-93G diet (CON), CON+exercise, TC (10% w/w), or TC+exercise. The exercise consisted of treadmill running for 30 min, 5 d/wk at 12 m/min and a 5 degree incline. Body weights were recorded weekly. After 8 wks of treatment, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in the tibial bone marrow were quantified via flow cytometry fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS). Trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture in the femur and lumbar vertebrae was assessed using micro-computed tomography. Biomechanical testing was performed using finite element analysis (FEA). The relative abundance of RNA for genes involved in osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation and activity was determined using RT-PCR. Data were analyzed using a 2-way ANOVA with TC and exercise as factors.Results: At the end of the study, no differences in body weight were observed. Trabecular bone volume in the femur and spine was increased with exercise and TC (p<0.05), but there was no interaction. Cortical bone thickness in the vertebra was also increased by TC and exercise (p<0.001), but not in the femur. Trabecular bone strength and stiffness were increased in the vertebra in response to TC and exercise, but only in response to TC in the femur (P<0.001). An increase in bone marrow MSCs occurred in response to exercise (p<0.01), but not TC. However, the combination of TC and exercise reduced nuclear factor of activated T-cells 1 (Nfatc1) femur gene expression, a key regulator of osteoclastogenesis (p<0.05). TC also increased bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)2 gene expression, a regulator of osteoblastogenesis.Conclusion: Our data indicate that TC and exercise alone had positive effects on bone quality by suppressing regulators of osteoclastogenesis and increasing regulators of osteoblastogenesis. Even though the effects of TC and exercise were not synergistic, the effects of TC alone on bone were similar to and in some cases greater than exercise alone

Royal endowment of peerage creations in the reign of Edward III

This thesis is an examination of the use Edward III made of various resources at his disposal in order to patronize a number of individuals destined for the parliamentary peerage or beyond. Primarily through a judicious use of escheats, forfeitures and expectancies, though also through his control over the marriages of his tenants-in-chief, Edward managed to endow a considerable number of new men with properties both suitable to their existing estates and commensurate with their new ranks. Edward's use of these sources, along with temporary forms of patronage such as wardships, annuities, offices and smaller token forms of favour, unsurprisingly sparked a considerable amount of contemporary reaction. However, unlike previous favourites, though Edward's new men did have to contend with a substantial amount of opposition at an individual level - especially in the law courts - popular reaction in general was surprisingly mute. Though there were instances when these men were singled out for criticism, for the most part landed society as a whole, and the established nobility in particular, received them with a degree of toleration rarely exhibited to parvenus. In part due to Edward's use of propaganda, but also to the terms on which he granted out a large portion of the patronage, Edward's new creations were seen as complementing rather than threatening the existing order. Indeed, it was Edward himself who may be said to have limited the powers of his 'new nobility' not only by making them dependent on his goodwill, but also by not allowing for much of the patronage granted out to remain out indefinitely. In the end, then, this thesis is about the first coherent realization by an English monarch of the importance of controlling the composition of the parliamentary peerage at a time when its membership was becoming increasingly predetermined

Phenylbutyric Acid Rescues Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Suppression of APP Proteolysis and Prevents Apoptosis in Neuronal Cells

BACKGROUND: The familial and sporadic forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have an identical pathology with a severe disparity in the time of onset [1]. The pathological similarity suggests that epigenetic processes may phenocopy the Familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) mutations within sporadic AD. Numerous groups have demonstrated that FAD mutations in presenilin result in 'loss of function' of gamma-secretase mediated APP cleavage [2], [3], [4], [5]. Accordingly, ER stress is prominent within the pathologically impacted brain regions in AD patients [6] and is reported to inhibit APP trafficking through the secretory pathway [7], [8]. As the maturation of APP and the cleaving secretases requires trafficking through the secretory pathway [9], [10], [11], we hypothesized that ER stress may block trafficking requisite for normal levels of APP cleavage and that the small molecular chaperone 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA) may rescue the proteolytic deficit. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The APP-Gal4VP16/Gal4-reporter screen was stably incorporated into neuroblastoma cells in order to assay gamma-secretase mediated APP proteolysis under normal and pharmacologically induced ER stress conditions. Three unrelated pharmacological agents (tunicamycin, thapsigargin and brefeldin A) all repressed APP proteolysis in parallel with activation of unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling-a biochemical marker of ER stress. Co-treatment of the gamma-secretase reporter cells with PBA blocked the repressive effects of tunicamycin and thapsigargin upon APP proteolysis, UPR activation, and apoptosis. In unstressed cells, PBA stimulated gamma-secretase mediated cleavage of APP by 8-10 fold, in the absence of any significant effects upon amyloid production, by promoting APP trafficking through the secretory pathway and the stimulation of the non-pathogenic alpha/gamma-cleavage. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: ER stress represses gamma-secretase mediated APP proteolysis, which replicates some of the proteolytic deficits associated with the FAD mutations. The small molecular chaperone PBA can reverse ER stress induced effects upon APP proteolysis, trafficking and cellular viability. Pharmaceutical agents, such as PBA, that stimulate alpha/gamma-cleavage of APP by modifying intracellular trafficking should be explored as AD therapeutics

The Usefulness of Elemental Iron for Cereal Flour Fortification: a Sustain Task Force Report

Fortification of cereal flours may be a useful public health strategy to combat iron deficiency. Cereal flours that are used shortly after production (e.g., baking flour) can be fortified with soluble iron compounds, such as ferrous sulfate, whereas the majority of flours stored for longer periods is usually fortified with elemental iron powders to avoid unacceptable sensory changes. Elemental iron powders are less well absorbed than soluble iron compounds and they vary widely in their absorption depending on manufacturing method and physicochemical characteristics. Costs vary with powder type, but elemental iron powders are generally less expensive than ferrous sulfate. This review evaluates the usefulness of the different elemental iron powders based on results from in vitro studies, rat assays, human bioavailability studies, and efficacy studies monitoring iron status in human subjects. It concludes that, at the present time, only electrolytic iron powder can be recommended as an iron fortificant. Because it is only approximately half as well absorbed as ferrous sulfate, it should be added to provide double the amount of iro

Are published standards for haematological indices in pregnancy applicable across populations: an evaluation in healthy pregnant Jamaican women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The haematological profile of the pregnant woman has an impact on the outcome of the pregnancy. Published guidelines indicate acceptable levels for haematological indices in pregnancy but they are population specific. Indicators of haemoglobin concentration are the most commonly utilized of the indices. These published international norms are used across populations, however, there is no evidence confirming their applicability to a population such as the Jamaican pregnant woman. This study was therefore undertaken with the intent of documenting the haematological profile of pregnant primigravid Jamaican women and comparing these to the established norms to determine whether the norms apply or whether there was a need to establish local norms.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a longitudinal study done on a cohort of 157 healthy primigravid women ages 15 to 25 and without anaemia, and who were recruited from the antenatal clinic of the University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica. The haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean cell volume, mean cell haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin concentration, white blood cell count, red blood cell count and platelet count were measured on samples of blood obtained from each consenting participant during each of the three trimesters. The results were analysed using SPSS for windows (Version 11) and the data expressed as means ± S.D. Means were compared using the student's paired <it>t-test</it>. Comparison was then made with the international norms as recommended by the United States Center for Disease Control (1989). Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the University Hospital of the West Indies/University of the West Indies Ethics Committee.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results showed changes by trimester in all measured variables. For most of the indices the changes achieved levels of significance across trimesters. These changes were however in keeping with the expected physiological response in pregnancy and the values were similar to the published international norms.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The findings suggest that the international norms for haematological indices in pregnancy are applicable across populations and to the pregnant Jamaican primigravid woman. This finding may be reassuring to others with a similar population and stage of development as Jamaica.</p